Once Kakashi was alone inside the office, An reappeared by the entrance. "Please come in, An-nii."
"How's thing going? Need any help?" An questioned as he made himself a cup of tea.
"They are alright." Kakashi replied, "so far." He ran his chakra around the tent, "ano… Sasaki-san?"
"He needs his moments," An put down his mug, "it has been months we have not sat down and have a tsukimi (moon viewing) moment, fancy doing that?"
Kakashi grinned, "if you are going to tell me the story, An-nii."
"Hai hai…" An echoed and grabbed Kakashi and disappeared in a heap of smoke.
They reappeared by the cliff that An sat with Madara few hours ago. An untied his cloak and pull one of the edges, and covered Kakashi's shoulder on the far end. He began his story softly.
O o o o o O o o o o O
Years ago, at the edge of Konoha, in the Sasaki Mansion
An was spending the night reading when he saw Kazuhiko dashed into his study hurriedly. "An-sama, we have a situation."
"What is it? I have not seen you in such haste for awhile," An lifted his gaze away from the book leisurely. Obviously, he felt the presence of the Kyuubi's chakra, but since he was not the leader of this land, he could not be border to get up and checked out. If Hashirama was not skilful enough, then he doubted the decision of naming him as the Shodaime Hokage.
"Ano… Madara- kun has finally come back. But he is fighting against Hashirama –kun."
"So?" An flipped a page. "We got to let Madara-kun to release his anger, and I doubt he would really destroy the whole village. I have confidence in him," An replied as if he was a father, letting his children to play.
"But Batto-chan said he is losing and I am not sure what Hashirama – kun will do. I really not sure what he would do for the sake of the village."
An closed his book instantly and placed it back to the open drawer by his left. He sighed. He witnessed the growth of the man and since he was an Uchiha, it was hard to remove his bias towards the man. He liked the mokuton user; he cherished the leadership skills that the man has. But then, the man was far too stubborn and strict for An's taste. He stood up and took a few objects from one of the dresser; then grabbed one of his black cloaks, "I will go and have a look, Kazu-kun."
O o o o o o o o o o O
When he arrived at the riverbed, he was not stunned that the geographical feature of the land has altered. From a flat land, a waterfall was formed instead. The black haired men were stood one of the banks each, facing each other. A red haired woman was laying again one of the trees. An jumped and approached the woman in silence.
It was Uzumaki Mito, Hashirama's wife. An placed his balm on top of the woman's stomach. It was a perfect seal of the Kyuubi. As soon as he touched the seal, he could hear Kurama's moan in angst. He sighed softly, as he tried to comfort the fox. He understood the pain of concealment as he also has a beast concealed in him. He looked up the pair and Madara jumped from the far end towards the other man.
"How much co-operation you want from me, Hashirama!" Madara shouted as he grasped the collar of the man's armour, "I have waited and now, you…"
"Madara…" Hashirama replied lowly and apologetically, "as the leader, as the Hokage, not everything is in my control."
"It's about the duty again, isn't it?" Madara hissed, as he was hurt. He could bear the physical pain, but the man's words were daggers to his heart. He loved the man. His emotion affected him defectively to the fact that he took up most of the missions that involved a long period away from Konoha. Although the missions were necessary, as the leader of Uchiha; it was actually for his own good, away from his clansman, away from the man that was his enemy for almost his life. He always thought the man loved him too. He promised that he would not marry again. But after these two years, he lied. He has broken his promise. The Kyuubi that was under his control suddenly became the handiest tool. If not he felt it would be a huge waste of effort to try to tame the monster.
"Madara, my love, I thought you knew it clearly. We are leaders; the burden has been with us all along. It was also this burden that bought us towards each other. It was the reason for us to build the village together." Hashirama stretched his arms and tried to pull the man into his embrace.
Madara pushed the hands away firmly. "Leave with me," he stated, "Tobi-chan can run the village. We can finally, for once, to abandon our duty, like we have hoped."
"Madara…" Hashirama whispered and pulled the man into his embrace swiftly and forcefully. "You know I love you, always."
Madara dug his head closer to Hashirama's collarbone, absorbing the man's wooden scent. He thought he could be strong. He thought he could co-operate. But he was wrong. He has fallen deeper than his lover. Since when he has such obvious weakness? If they could fly off together, how wonderful that would be. The first time ever, he felt ashamed as he found himself being the loser. He sighed, "Hashi…" He pulled out his kunai and cut a large bunch of Hashirama's hair. He swallowed his blood in silence. He made his way back to Konoha with all the wounds and cuts from the fight against the Kyuubi. With the new wounds, he knew that only Hashirama could heal. But he would not want to have the man near him anymore, as the man himself was already a poison that would take away his life. Staying around the mokuton user hurt, and he hated it, as he was no longer the courageous, strong Uchiha leader. He was no longer who he was. He stepped back, only one step from the edge of the cliff, cut some of his hair with the same kunai. "Our kizuna ends here, Senju Hashirama." He spitted his blood aside. "You are nobody to me anymore." He released the black threads and let them fall freely.
"Wait, Madara…" Hashirama understood the meaning of the words instantly and reached out. It was true that he could sacrifice anything, even if it was their relationship, for the peace of the village. But it did not mean that he was a heartless man. At the bottom of his heart, he was hoping there was alternative.
However it was too late. Madara dropped quicker than his wood branches could generate. He could read lips and the man was repeating the words, "this is the end of our bond, I would not want to have anything with you for my next life." As he read, his heart was shattered. He has married twice, but never for love, but for the family, for the clan and for the village. Uchiha Madara was the only person that he has loved. From hate, to recognition, admiration and then to eros and love. They have their relationship built around the time when they fight against each other, in the name of their reprehensive clan. They seldom to have peace, except the time when they were intimate, or when he tried to heal the man. He found Madara challenging and it was good for him. Being the enemy, Madara was the only one who stood at the same level. He was the only man that understood and it was never dull to have him around. Being friends and lovers, he has seen the softer side of the Uchiha leader, the side that has also softened his heart; the side that echoed along with his own heart.
An sighed and shook his head. "What a mess," he mumbled softly. Although Hashirama's wood did not reach the man on time, being one of the fastest men in the world, he managed to snatch the falling Uchiha and landed by one of the smaller cliff by the lower part of the waterfall.
He lie the man on the smooth stone surface and was stunned that one of the man's eyes was covered in blood. "What has happened? I did not know Hashirama –kun is such cruel man."
"No… An-kun," Madara choked, puked out more blood. "It's Izuna. My dear otouto He was actually with me all along." He pulled a smile painfully, "he was sealed in my, no, his eyes…. He… he jumped out from my left eye. He has a physical body as if I could able to touch him, feeling his warmth…" He opened his wound eye slowly. But except blackness, An could not see anything. He doubted that he could call it a sharingan. It was a normal eye without life.
An sighed as he covered the eye with his hand, using his chakra to stop the blood flow. "Where's he now?"
"I don't know…" Madara whispered in his last few breaths, "I could see the abhorrence and disgust in his eyes. His effort has die in vain, with his ineffectual aniki…" he smiled ironically.
"I can save you, Madara –kun," An stated in monotone. "If you are willing, you can join my clan."
"Join you?" Madara questioned painfully, "remember him in eternality?"
"No. Live for yourself for once again. There is always burden if you live; but I can promise, live with me, you can be who you truly are. Will you show me that you are the strong boy, the Uchiha Madara that I have met in a raining day years ago?"
"I… d-do…" Madara replied, "bring me along, An- kun."
O o o o o O o o o o O
Author's Notes
Well, another chapter updated. :-) I have a few more chapters to write before I have to wait for Kishimoto sensei's update as in some way, I would like to follow the original plot; even though no matter what, I have already decided that Tobi is Izuna, and that's for certain.
Nonetheless, I am seriously looking forward to read any reviews, as it's rather lonely to write when nobody cares to leave any.
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