Walking towards the basket Madara had returned carrying, Sakura peeked inside, her face instantly lighting up. She practically beamed as she looked through the heap of fresh fruit, her grumbling stomach thankful for sustenance. There were plums, persimmons, pears, apples, and cherries, all of which looked ripe and juicy. With her mouth practically watering, she was overwhelmed with choices, not knowing which she wanted to feast on first.
As she was about to make her selection, she felt a warmth against her back. Watching as an arm extended over her shoulder, she felt his hair tickle the side of her neck, causing a chill to shoot down her spine. His hand made a selection, bringing a pair of cherries up to her face, dangling them close to her mouth in offering.
"I saw these, and thought of you," he purred, his deep voice like music to her ears.
Lifting her chin, Sakura clasped her teeth around one of the plump spheres, pulling it free from the stem. Humming in delight, she enjoyed the sweet and tangy juices that pooled in her mouth, licking her lips as she watched him take the other one in his mouth.
She craved more.
Grabbing another bundle from the basket, she returned his favor.
With a sly smile, she dangled the pair of cherries up to his mouth, her eyes daring him to take a bite. As his mouth opened, she pulled the fruits away, laughing as his mouth fell into a flat line. He didn't seem too amused, but she was definitely entertained. Attempt after attempt, she teased him until he caught her wrist, eyeing her victoriously as he ate both of them. Pouting, she discarded the stems and dug through the basket in search of something else to eat. Grabbing a large apple and plum she retreated to the couch to enjoy her meal.
With Madara joining her, they both ate while watching the fire in silence. It should have been an unsettling experience, but Sakura found it to be quite relaxing. With her belly full and mind at ease, she reveled in the comfort of her current environment. It felt like a nice vacation, one she had not had in many years, if ever. She couldn't even remember the last time she was able to get away from it all, let alone experience it by herself. Smiling to herself, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to breathe deeply and freely.
"What's so funny?" Madara murmured as he bit into his pear.
"Nothing, really," she reflected, pulling her feet onto the couch, "This is just surprisingly... nice."
"Is it?"
"Yes," she giggled, knowing how idiotic she must sound.
"Eating in silence with someone like me qualifies as nice, does it?" he questioned, letting his head drop to the side as he eyed her with disbelief.
"It's the little things, you know? In my line of work, I'm rarely afforded silence and alone time," she confessed.
"But you aren't alone."
"I'm alone with you," she smiled, glancing over at him.
"And that doesn't scare you?"
"Not really. Should it?"
"Your reaction earlier contradicts that statement."
"That was before I realized how different you are now."
"Different, huh? I guess you're right," he pondered, chewing thoughtfully.
"Why is that? What happened to you?"
"Dying a sore loser will do that to a person."
"How are you still alive?"
"I'm cursed."
"Cursed? How?"
"It was something I installed as a sort of contingency plan. Should I ever die in battle, my Sharingan would resurrect me."
"Something like that exists?" she almost choked, fascinated by the multiple applications and power of the Sharingan.
"It wasn't easy, and it has its price. But to the skilled user, these eyes can do some pretty amazing things."
"Price? What did it cost you?"
"Each time you use it, the cost is the sight in one of your eyes, and a large amount of chakra."
"Each time? You mean you've done this more than once?"
"Oh, I've died multiple times over the years," he mused, turning towards her as he rested his elbow on the back of the couch. "Last time, I was able to steal an eye to fully restore my vision and gain the Rinnegan."
"Do you still have them?"
"After my split from Kaguya, I was only left with my Sharingan," he responded dolefully, averting his eyes in shame.
"Do you plan on regaining them?" Sakura poked curiously.
"I can't," he sighed, "That is no longer an option."
"What do you mean?"
"One can only possess the powers of the Rinnegan if they have the blood of both Uchiha and Senju."
Sensing her confusion, he reached out, grabbing her hand. Pulling her delicate hand up to his chest, he slid it under the collar of his yukata, placing her palm on his bare skin. With his hand on top of hers, he guided her fingers along the expanse of the scarred gash on the left side of his chest.
"Kami... what happened?!" Sakura exclaimed, her fingers following the deep line of scar tissue, pulling open the robe to reveal more of his marred flesh. Even though his hand had left hers, she still explored the taught skin of the old injury, fingertips tracing every edge of the jagged imperfection. She was so focused on the severity of his wound, that she missed the way his eyes fell upon her, watching every expression carefully.
"I made sure I kept a promise to a dear friend. I removed the Senju cells from my body so I could never regain that power. In addition to the Senju blood, you also need two Sharingan, not one. And as I no longer have vision in my right eye, it wouldn't be possible to achieve anyway. Even if I thirsted for that power once again, the Uchiha clan is down to one last remaining member, and I would not be able to defeat your dear Sasuke in my current state. So, I've accepted my defeat. Furthermore, this curse, and my subsequent resurrections, have taken a toll on my body. Every day I grow weaker. I now only wish to die peacefully and finally."
"So you're okay with spending your remaining lifetime like this?" she questioned, looking around the cave, "Alone?"
"I'm not really alone though, am I?"
"I can't stay here forever," she confessed, her face full of obvious trepidation.
"That won't be necessary. This cave is cloaked in a very special jutsu. The time density is greater inside than it is on the outside. Time is ticking away much faster here, so it'll hurry the process of aging."
"Time density?" she questioned skeptically.
"Yes, one minute on the outside, is about one hour on the inside. It's not much, but it helps. Unlike you, I did not have the chakra reserves to increase the time ratio, so this will have to do. Besides, I've already spent a great deal of time in here, it's hard to keep track though," he laughed briefly, stopping once he noticed her grim expression.
"Why the long face, feisty one?"
"So... you're dying?" she asked with a heavy heart, and a face riddled with concern.
"In a sense, we're all dying. I've just simply sped up the process. I'm not supposed to be alive anyway. I do not belong in this time," he sighed, offering her a sullen smile.
"That doesn't mean you get to give up."
"You remind me of him, you know? Hashirama," Madara reflected, his head leaning against the hand propped up on the couch. "We were best friends at one point. He was always so optimistic and full of hope. Even as I lay dying on the battlefield, he told me we were still friends, and so, I came here to see his face again. Even though our statues are destroyed, it still seems fitting to end things here, where they started, so many generations ago."
Sakura didn't know how to process everything she'd just heard. It all seemed very sad and incomprehensible. She couldn't understand why anyone would want to spend their last remaining days alone in the dark. Having found out about his plan, she didn't feel right about just leaving him to die. The thought of almost having done so, made her stomach hurt and her chest ache.
Perhaps that is why this man saved her from the storm, maybe he just wanted some company. If this was the least she could offer, she knew she had to do it. Deep down, she believed if the roles were reversed, she'd want the same.
"Do you have any distant family members or friends I can contact?" Sakura asked, knowing it was a stupid question, but trying her best to keep the conversation going.
"No. There is only one Uchiha member left, and they would be the closest I have to any remaining family. Also, Hashirama was my only friend, and I'm not so sure his granddaughter would extend the same kindness as you," he chuckled.
"So you never married or had any children of your own?"
"No. That was something I never got a chance to focus on. I was too determined to fulfill my dream of peace."
"So, you've never had se-"
"Of course I've fucked. I'm a man, not a monk," he sighed, hands combing through his hair. "I've just never settled down, women were always too much of a distraction. Not to mention, marrying and producing children would only put a target on their backs, and I was against losing anyone else precious to me."
"I'm sorry..."
"What's to be sorry for? It's not like any of this is your fault. I'm aware of my mistakes... even if it has taken me more than one lifetime to see them."
With Sakura not knowing what else to say, their back and forth came to an abrupt end. With both falling silent after the conversation became too heavy, they sat quietly enjoying the fire. Slowly, they watched the lively flames in front of them dwindle to little more than embers and ash.
As it extinguished itself, Madara stood and cleared the remnants, before starting a new fire. Satisfied with the roaring flames, he excused himself to his bedroom, citing his need to lie down and rest.
"I'm going to put your dress in this bottom drawer for you," his voice called from behind the fireplace.
"Okay," was all she could muster, her voice barely audible as she sat and continued to watch the blaze, its warmth having been rekindled.
She was honestly so out of it, that he could have thrown that dress into the fire, and she wouldn't have budged. Their conversation had affected her a lot more than she anticipated, and she was having a hard time dealing with it. Everything else just seemed so inconsequential to her now.
After a while, Sakura laid down, pulling the blanket up to her chin. She tried to will herself to sleep, her tired mind and eyes pleading for relief. But the sorrow in his words still haunted her as she kept reminding herself of his impending fate.
He was dying.
She tossed and turned, unable to drift off peacefully. The air, even though she was near the fire, was too cold and torturous. The blanket became itchy and scratched at her exposed skin. The couch became uninviting, its hard frame pushing through the cushions into her spine, as if screaming for her to get up. And so, she did.
She sat upright with a huff, unsure of what to do next, and silently wondered if Madara was having the same trouble getting to sleep. Something pulled her towards him, as her feet padded quietly around the fireplace and into his bed chambers. She stood in the archway, attempting to understand what she was doing there, but reason escaped her.
Lifting the covers, Sakura slid herself into his bed. She could tell that he was turned away from her, facing the wall, but she didn't care. She curled up behind him, immediately feeling the warmth of his body heat as she melted blissfully into the mattress. Before she could fully realize her intentions, she was asleep.
When she awoke, she could hear the steady breathing of the man beside her. He was still asleep in the same position, so she wasn't sure how long she had dozed off. Her mouth was dry, so she trudged out into the living area, where the fire was still burning. Walking towards the water pitcher she saw earlier, she noticed the lamp that was still burning as well.
Grabbing it by the metal handle, she carried it with her in search of something to drink. As she walked behind the couch, she noticed a table she hadn't seen before, upon it were a few dishes. Grabbing a cup that seemed clean, she shuffled over to the water source, taking the full pitcher and pouring herself a glass.
Taking a seat on the couch, she quenched her thirst, very surprised that the water was not only chilled, but delicious. She half expected it to be room temperature, and to have a weird dirt or mildew-like taste, seeing as they were in an underground cave. Much to her delight, it tasted like fresh spring water, and she could only conclude that the stone the water permeated must have naturally filtered it. She had to give him credit, Madara picked a nice spot to "retire" in. It seemed like he had thought of everything.
At the reminder, Sakura's face fell into a somber expression. As a medic and a kunoichi, death was something she had, unfortunately, become accustomed to. But it didn't mean it was any easier to accept. No matter who the victim was, death was always a tough hand to be dealt.
She found it odd that he was so willing to accept his fate, whilst she tossed and turned over the inevitability of it all. She supposed he did have longer to come to terms with it than she had, after all. Try as she might, she just couldn't help but feel bad for him, a former enemy. The war had clearly affected him just as much as everyone else involved, which was also an eye opener since he was the instigator.
She had, at one point, hated him. Hated him for all the anger in his heart that created such a terrible and avoidable war, but what was she to do with her feelings now? It was apparent he was no longer the same person, so it would only make sense that she treat him accordingly. There was no use in holding onto all those feelings of hate, for that person was long gone.
She could see it in his face, the way he talked, and how he reacted during their brief tussle earlier, that he was a changed man. Perhaps the Madara she was seeing now was not merely a different person, but the real Madara... the man he truly was before he was corrupted.
After all, he did say he and Hashirama were best friends, surely the First Hokage wouldn't make such a claim unless he felt in his heart that this person was good and honest. Even in death, Hashirama's word was without contestation.
You remind me of him, you know?
His words to her repeated throughout her mind, and she couldn't help but wonder what he had meant by that. What about her was anything like the Great First? Currently, she didn't feel very hopeful and optimistic, only useless. This man she had only recently come to know, was dying... and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
This notion of helplessness went against every fiber of her being. She wanted to research ways to help him, but taking another look at her surroundings reminded her that this place was rigged to help him meet his end in a very timely matter.
He hadn't just accepted his fate, he was ushering it along.
Sakura shook her head, wondering what would make someone so thirsty for death that they would purposefully hurry it, and welcome it with open arms.
She didn't know much about Madara, just what she had come to learn in the last day or two... if it was actually that long. This whole time density differential was doing a number on her head, and she could no longer keep track of time. But maybe, that was his intention in creating such a jutsu. With time taken completely out of the equation, life here was simply a culmination of moments. The days moved by swiftly, the cycle repeating over and over, until ultimately, it would cease.
She wanted to help, to be useful, but what was she to do for someone who had clearly made up their mind long ago?
She was aware he knew of many things, but there were also things he knew nothing of. Perhaps if she could give him a taste of life, it would breathe a new fire within him. Maybe then, he would change his mind. She wasn't sure about her own future, but being here made her want to change his. Sakura was determined to help in any way she could.
Taking another sip of water, Sakura thought long and hard about why she was choosing to stay. In all honesty, this seemed a little more important to her than doing Sasuke any favors. She had always chased the dream of being his wife, being swept off her feet by Prince Charming, she just couldn't excuse how his "proposal" was anything but.
It seemed more like a business arrangement than a declaration of love, and he certainly didn't pose any question for her consideration. It was more like he was thinking aloud, hell, he wasn't even looking at her when he merely suggested they should marry. Then, to top it off, he immediately left to go on an eighteen month long mission before they could even discuss things further or make any arrangements, leaving things very open-ended of her. There was no goodbye, no letters, and no promises of what's to come.
Sakura had officially spent a majority of her life being without him, left to her own devices as she conjured images of idealism in her mind to fill in the gaps. The whole situation was bittersweet. All her friends were swept up in romances, completely infatuated and in love. Yet, Sakura hadn't even held his hand, given him a kiss, or made love to him. The more she thought about it these days, the angrier she became.
She didn't feel like his fiancee, she felt like an afterthought.
To her, it was in her nature to care, to nurture, to help... and Sasuke didn't need her help.
Madara did.
At this point in time, taking care of a dying person, history be damned, trumped anything Sasuke felt like he was owed. It was true, Madara had once attacked her in battle, but they were at war. Whereas Sasuke waged his own war, making an effort to end her life, and the life of her friends, on multiple occasions. If anyone could wait, it was Sasuke. Sakura had done her fair share of waiting.
And so she sat, thinking about the days ahead.
