A/N: Wow, this took me longer than it probably should have and for some reason, harder to write. There was a lot more I wanted to say and at the same time a lot less I wanted to write in this chapter. Sometimes I'm not even sure what's written and what's floating in my head. It's all jumbled up. Will be proofreading this tomorrow again after classes. I'll be lounging on the sofa tonight, need some break before I think of what I want to write for the next chapter.
Guest 1: Aw yeah, that'll be fun. Uchiha style bonding? I'm not sure what that'd be like haha. I don't know how to feel about it either. I mean I originally planned for Naruto to live with Madara too, but Naruto's personality rejected that idea. I'm sure he won't, though he'll see the resemblances.
Guest 2: Thank you and for being patient too. I'm sorry that there won't be a pairing :( But yes, feel free to see things as how you want. I don't think Madara will ever do that or for now that's what I think.
Guest 3: Haha you pretty much summed it up. Yeah I know, shaking my head at Mito. There's a reason for it so maybe I'll get to later on.
The hospital room went quiet. There were no sounds of breathing, no sounds of movement from anyone. An unbearable silence froze the entire room like a tableaux. The constant buzzing of silence wasn't loud enough to be called silence and it was intimidating.
Someone let out a breath, putting everything into motion again. Another, inhaled sharply.
"No!" Naruto exploded, grabbing Hashirama's collar and yanking it towards him. "You can't let Sasuke live with Madara."
Hashirama blinked, staring right at Naruto. "And why is that?" he asked. Before Naruto could yell his answer, Tobirama interrupted.
"Brother, what in the…Do you understand what you're saying? Do you hear yourself? Are you insane?" Tobirama questioned his brother's current mental state. Who in the right head would push Madara of all people to raise a child? Certainly not Hashirama.
But his brother cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "I'm perfectly sane, Tobirama. I know what I said."
"He's right, you're insane and he's not. Listen to him," Naruto answered in Tobirama's stead. He tried to shake the Hokage back and forth as to let him know he was crazy, but Hashirama wouldn't budge.
"And him," Tobirama started, pointing at Naruto. "Don't adopt some child you know nothing about or you'll end up hurt. He could be a spy."
Naruto scoffed, "Me? A spy?"
Ignoring him, Tobirama continued, "What are you going to do if he turns out to be a spy for another village? What will you do then?"
"I'll deal with it when it comes to that. Don't worry yourself over nothing," Hashirama said, grinning. "You worry too much."
"Hashirama, I don't think…" Mito trailed off. She hadn't known what and where to speak up in the midst of the shouting but Hashirama's careless words were bound to fuel more arguments. Hashirama's honesty had always irritated the nuts out of Tobirama and the thought that he might be doing it on purpose crossed her mind. Her gaze travelled to Sasuke and the boy stared back at her with a blank face. She faintly saw it.
He's smiling.
"You know Brother, you're always like this. You could take precautions before you decide something like adopting possible spy kids you know," Tobirama chided.
"You know, you're pissing me off now too," Naruto said and jerked his head, facing Tobirama. "Spy, spy. I'm not a spy!" He received a glare from the man.
"I'm not saying you are one. I'm saying Brother should think twice about adopting you before going through with it."
"Hashirama," came a rough whisper.
All the shouting ceased and Hashirama turned to Madara. Even Naruto shut up.
"What is it?" he asked.
His friend appeared to have troubles getting his voice out, Madara's mouth hanging open and upper body leaning forward.
To the left of the man, Tobirama looked to Madara as well, curious as to what he had to say about all this. He realized Madara had been quiet the whole time.
"I…No," Madara said and tore his eyes away from Hashirama's intent gaze.
"Madara, it won't be that bad." Hashirama got up to stand in front of Madara. "I'm sure it'll be fun to raise Sasuke. Come on. He doesn't have a family to return to."
"I'm aware of that," Madara mumbled. "I can get someone from the clan to take care of him."
"No. That's no good," Hashirama said.
"Then put him in the orphanage."
Leaning his back against the wall, Tobirama decided he'd enlighten the man. "The orphanages here are full. There's not enough room for more parentless children."
"Then you do it!" Madara shouted, finally looking at Hashirama again. It was a mistake. He was always weak for his friend's determined face.
"It has to be you. You have to take in the boy," Hashirama said firmly. He stumbled backwards, Madara's hand in the air between them.
"No. I said no," Madara bellowed and slammed the sliding door open, pacing out onto the hospital corridors.
Hashirama pushed his hair back with a hand and sighed. Of course Madara wouldn't agree to it immediately. He glanced at Sasuke who was sitting on his bed obediently. Having Madara adopt Sasuke meant the two would become a family. Perhaps it was still too early for Madara to get close to other people, but his friend had always been too stubborn for his own good. He'd make the call this time.
"Tobirama, could you?"
"No, I am not going to—" Tobirama looked at his brother. He cursed whatever it was that made it impossible to deny his brother of anything. When he wanted something, he got it. Tobirama clicked his tongue.
"Fine," he said and reluctantly went after Madara.
"Be nice," Hashirama called down the hallway. He shook his head, sliding his right arm into his left sleeve and his left in his right. When he ducked his head back into the room, he noticed his wife's concerned expression.
"It'll be fine," he assured.
Mito didn't ease up at Hashirama's words. "We should take both Naruto and Sasuke in ourselves," she proposed. She was somewhat excited to have Naruto's company while Hashirama worked hard in his office though it didn't mean she wouldn't be glad to have the Sasuke as well. It was clear Madara had no intention of raising a child, whether or not the boy was one of his clan members.
"I agree with Mito!" Naruto piped in and Hashirama chuckled.
"Sorry, Naruto," Hashirama apologized, ruffling Naruto's blonde locks. "I'm doing this for Madara's own good."
The hand in his hair felt nice, like Naruto was being treated as a child. This wasn't the time for this. He glanced over to Mito to see her expression change into one of melancholy. Naruto realized there was something happening—something he didn't understand—between these historically famous people Iruka-sensei talked about in class. There was a distance, he thought, between these people and him and Sasuke.
With a deep sigh, the hand left Naruto's head. "You see, a lot of things happened in the past and I want to do something about it," Hashirama explained.
A smile crept onto the man's face and Naruto kept silent.
"Madara's been alone for a long time…" he continued and his eyes flickered to Sasuke. "I was thinking that if he had Sasuke with him, he wouldn't feel lonely anymore."
He's lonely?
Naruto's dropped his head to gaze at the floor. He didn't want Sasuke near that mad son of an Uchiha yet no petty counters came to mind. Was it in his place to argue?
"It's not the first time I've thought about this."
And it went through one ear, out the other. It was similar to background static.
"You mean if Madara had someone with him, he'd become stable," Mito stated. She had also thought of this as a solution for Madara's deteriorating mental health. Be it a lover, a child to take care of, or a friend by his side, any relationship would benefit Madara.
"Yes, that's what I had in mind. But using the word stable makes it sound like you're saying…he's not," Hashirama said.
That was more than likely what was implied. No one called Hashirama out on that. The last echo of his voice died down and it soon became quiet.
"How long were we out?" Sasuke asked. He had been awake when they were brought to the hospital at the order of Mito, however, once his head hit the soft cover, he blacked out. The less time the doctors had to check their bodies, the better.
Naruto turned to him, surprised he finally spoke. Sasuke hadn't bothered to argue against the Hokage's decision to have him adopted by Madara and it made Naruto's toes curl, clutching the bed sheets.
"One full day," Mito answered. "It was a bit surprising to see you both awake that quickly."
"Why?" Naruto questioned.
"You two were found injured by the patrol unit. Your clothes were battered with dirt. The blood on you two were fresh and the wounds cut deep." She paused.
"I heal fast," Naruto said, scratching his cheek.
Hashirama hummed. "That's….amazing," he commented.
The subject was dropped before it could turn into a full on interrogation. Mito and Hashirama could have asked, pressed on for more details like it wasn't possible to heal from stab wounds in a day, or no one should be able to stand more less wrestle with those injuries, yet they didn't. Not now and if possible, they would find out more about these children in a subtle manner.
"Where are you going, Sasuke?" Naruto followed Sasuke's movements to the door.
"Bathroom," Sasuke replied and Mito stood from her seat.
"I can show you the way," she offered.
Without looking her way, Sasuke politely declined and slid the door closed behind him.
Feet padded against the floor, emitting soft sounds that bounced off the walls as Sasuke stalked down the hallway. He looked around for people before crouching. He closed his eyes in concentration, exhaling. Where were they? Sasuke caught the tail of a familiar chakra signature and began to follow its trail. He tilted his head back.
The roof.
Sasuke suppressed his chakra, retaining it inside his body. He leapt from staircase to staircase, moving in stealth. It was safer than using shunshin—the body flicker jutsu—around highly skilled ninjas such as Madara and Tobirama. That would be the same as asking for a death wish. Two versus one wouldn't be pretty.
He stopped, foot lightly tapping the cold cement ground. Sasuke swiftly twisted his body to the side when he saw the door to the roof open. He leaned against the wall, peering through the gap for any signs of Madara or Tobirama. Sasuke squinted, hearing muffled noises grow clear and distinct. There was no one in sight except for the fluttering sheets.
"What did you come here for?" Madara spat, glaring at the other man.
Tobirama sighed, placing his hands to rest on his hip, thumbs in front. He leaned his head back and said, "I'm here to convince you."
Madara snorted, bringing a hand to cover his face. "Convince me?" He chuckled, bending over when that small chuckle turned into a violent laughing fit. He held his stomach and swept his hand from his face to his forehead.
"You? You don't look like you agree with Hashirama's idea." Madara stared straight at Tobirama. "If this is how you try to convince someone," he gestured to the man's grouchy face, "come try again in another hundred years."
"Look, you know my brother," Tobirama said. He waved a hand. "You know he'll keep nagging and whining at you until you say yes." He was given no response though he knew Madara agreed with him.
"I don't like the idea of letting a dangerous man like you raise a child," he admitted and heard another snort from the Uchiha. "It's Brother's decision and it seems he's intent on pushing the Uchiha boy on you so I suggest you give up," Tobirama said.
"I refuse," was Madara's answer.
"I don't see a problem. Other than the fact that you'll be a bad role model, what's the problem?" Tobirama waited. He'd shoot down each of Madara's arguments with his own until the man surrendered. Tobirama could be patient.
"Hah! You tell me." Madara glared across the empty space at Tobirama.
The white bed sheets hung in rows behind each of them and every time the wind blew, Sasuke could make out the two pairs of legs. The hospital roof looked the same as it had before.
"What do you mean?" Tobirama grit out, disliking the accusing tone directed at him.
"It's you isn't it? The one that brought that Uchiha child here," Madara said.
"No, it wasn't me. Why would you think I would go out of my way to bring your clansman here? It doesn't make sense. You're saying I found those two injured kids somewhere and left them for the patrol unit to find?" Tobirama hissed.
"Yes, that's what I'm saying," Madara replied. He balled his hands into fists, digging his nails into his palm. He chewed on his bottom lip, trembling.
"You're the only one who would do that. What do you want from me? What do you gain from bringing a boy who looks like him to me?" he shouted, stomping forward and grasping Tobirama's black shirt.
A hand yanked at his wrist but Madara wouldn't let go. "You think I would sink that low?" he growled. Tobirama huffed angrily. "You think I would go out of my way to show you your dead brother?"
"Yes!"
"Enough already, Madara. What would I gain from shoving a boy who looks like Izuna in your face?"
"Don't you dare say his name! You have no right," he yelled. Madara reached to his leg, grabbing at air. He'd forgotten there were no weapons allowed in the hospitals. Instead, he threw his fist at the other's face, knocking Tobirama a couple steps back.
"You'd get to see me suffering," Madara said under his breath, shaking in maybe it was anger, hate, pity for himself, many things.
Tobirama didn't lift his head. He remained in the position Madara's punch forced him in. He deserved this, he thought. He understood the pain of losing a brother, understood that it was him who killed Madara's brother. There was no helping it, right? After all, it was wartime and…his brothers were killed by the Uchihas. An eye for an eye, was it? Tobirama would give at least this much leeway because he still had his older brother.
As expected of his brother's childhood friend. Tobirama almost smiled to himself. Madara knew his brother's personality well, accusing him rather than considering Hashirama.
"As much as that sounds tempting, I wouldn't sink that low," Tobirama repeated. "Never."
The other man didn't say anything and he didn't know where to throw his confusion and everything welling inside him at. Madara ground his sandals harshly against the cement, clenching his jaw. He covered his eyes and sighed.
"Forget it," he said, walking past Tobirama. The other turned to follow him and they both stopped abruptly.
"Who's there?" Tobirama voiced.
Shit.
When had his chakra leaked? Sasuke didn't remember his chakra control being that bad. Did his control go haywire from the space-time jutsu? He couldn't run now because they'd realize it was him later so he braced himself for a particular question.
The door squeaked open, revealing Madara and Tobirama. Sasuke had to shield his eyes from the sudden flood of sunlight.
"What are you doing here?" Tobirama asked, staring down at Sasuke.
"I was looking for the bathroom," Sasuke said. He wasn't ever great at lying impromptu.
"Well, it's not here. This is the roof if you didn't noti—" Tobirama was interrupted by another voice.
"It's on the floor of your room," Madara said. The boy was staring up at him innocently and he looked away.
"Come on, let's get back." Tobirama pushed past the two and stepped down a stair. He opened his mouth to ask why they weren't moving when he noticed Sasuke's hard breathing and Madara's hesitant hands. The boy had only just rested one day after being heavily injured. He wanted to make fun of Madara's docility around children. He couldn't because he knew why the man acted like that.
Reaching his arms out, Tobirama guided a child's hand and an adult's hand into a touch. He fit the hands into a hold and smirked. He received two blank expressions and it was too funny that he had to laugh.
"Don't get me wrong. You guys…were giving me the same face and it was amusing to see," Tobirama said. The pair of Uchihas narrowed their eyes at him and he turned away before he could laugh again.
The way back to the Sasuke and Naruto's shared hospital room was quiet. It was weird. Sasuke gaze travelled from his joined hand, up Madara's arm, to the man's face. Why did he have to hold this guy's hand? He was distracted enough that he tripped over his feet. A hand squeezed his and pulled, helping him stay upright.
Their eyes caught each others. "You…okay?" Madara murmured.
"Yeah…" Sasuke nodded.
"Next time, come up with a better lie," the man whispered and Sasuke went still for a moment.
"Who said I didn't need to go?" he shot back and at that, Madara's mouth curved a little.
By the time they reached the room, Sasuke's breathing had evened out. Madara released his hand as Sasuke went to open the door. On the other side of the door he heard the Hokage's muffled laugh.
"You two shocked us when you started wrestling," Sasuke heard Mito say.
"What's wrong?" Madara asked behind him, wondering why the boy wasn't going in.
"Mito, all boys are like that. By the way Naruto, what's your relation with Sasuke?" Hashirama asked. "Did you two find each other on the battlefield?"
"You going to open the door or not?" Tobirama grunted.
A bratty snicker rang in Sasuke's ears.
"Sasuke's….my friend," Naruto said.
Tobirama moved in front of Sasuke and opened the door himself. The adults shuffled themselves in and started conversing.
"Sasuke," Naruto called his name again, this time directly addressing him and smiled. Sasuke glanced at him and stayed silent.
A couple days passed and the doctor at the hospital signed Naruto and Sasuke's discharge papers. It was relaxing for them both as it was anxious sitting on their beds during their recovery. Naruto would try to get Sasuke to talk to him and sometimes it'd work.
There wasn't much to say other than exchange mundane talk and greetings. There wasn't much to ask the other either because it sunk into Naruto that he was in the same boat as Sasuke and his friend wouldn't know anymore than he did. He'd calmed down and thought things through. They wouldn't find anything while that were forced to sit in the hospital anyways.
Though that didn't stop Naruto from trying to strike up a conversation. They usually ended up as a one-sided conversation on his part with the rare grunt from the other. Sasuke didn't seem too interested, but Naruto could tell he was listening carefully the whole time.
Finally, it was time for them to go. Hashirama and Mito would take Naruto to their home and Madara would take Sasuke to his. There was an issue brought up about the adoption papers. Hashirama shrugged, resolving the problem by saying they could do it later when they all settled down. Tobirama's rambling on proper and legal procedures was vetoed.
"I'm the Hokage, remember?" Hashirama said playfully to which Tobirama groaned.
Sasuke and Naruto changed out of their hospital robes and into their own clothes. Mito took on the task and washed their dirty clothes. It was nice to be back into their usual clothes. Naruto guessed their clothes shrunk along with their bodies. He pat around for his forehead protector and paused.
That's right, it wouldn't make sense if he had one on in this period. He hoped he didn't lose it though.
They exited their room, meeting with the welcome arms of their to-be parents…or temporary family. Mito grabbed Naruto's hands, swinging them lightly. "I can't wait to show you around…"
Naruto blinked, taken aback by the woman's attitude. Was she always this excited? He didn't recall her showing any sign of excitement.
After a small talk from Hashirama to the others, the adults said their farewells and parted.
"See you, Sasuke."
"Yeah, see you."
Naruto watched as Sasuke's figure retreated, moving further away from him. He'd seen this before. A transparent film of a taller Sasuke overlapped with the current one. He held his breath, unconsciously reaching his hand out.
"Wait…" His hand grabbed an afterimage arm, slipping through.
"Naruto?" Hashirama's voice didn't register.
"Wait, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, stumbling forward. Sasuke turned around and his eyes widened as Naruto reached for his arm. It was an expression he'd seen several times.
"Don't…don't…" Naruto tugged gently on Sasuke's arm, pleading for something.
Sasuke was shaken out of his shock and peeled Naruto's hand off him. "Naruto," he whispered, staring at Naruto's crestfallen look. It was a face of fear, panic, despair, pain and hope mingled together. He struggled with himself, searching, and debating whether or not he should say the things that would reassure Naruto.
Hashirama, Mito, Tobirama and Madara watched. They watched the two boys interact. The two friends, or so one of them claimed, share a moment half of them couldn't comprehend.
"I'll see you later," Sasuke said and smirked. "Usuratonkachi."
"….Sasuke…teme. Shut up and go already," Naruto said back, a lop-sided grin on him.