Madara watched as the small child wobbled into the room, a tiny fist rubbing tiredly at her eye, tightly held in her other arm was a small a ratted stuffed to. After decades of the toy being passed down from Sakura's he could no longer tell what it was, or had been. He could tell Temari had dressed the small child today for the outfit consisted of white shorts and a fluffy pink dress shirt, her feet bare as she padded across the tiled floor. Shortened pink pastel hair stood up in random places; proving the fight she had given to be left alone.
"Mada-sama," she called softly as she yawned, "I'm tired." He could see the dark bags under her eyes, her pale skin only enhancing the flawed color.
Hashirama cooed at the small girl, his arms spread wide in an inviting gesture. "I can see that." She scuffled to him, more than once stumbling on her pursuit towards the male. When she got close enough he hooked his hands under her armpits as he lifted her off her feet before settling her in his lap. She yawned again as she rested her head on his shoulder, her free hand bunching the fabric of his shirt into a tight fist.
Madara never took his eyes off the girl as he fought the urge to take her away from his long time friend and comrade. Sakura just looked so cute with her mussed her hair and frilly outfit, something only Temari could get her to wear. "We need to talk, little one." He tried to soften his voice as much as possible but kept it loud enough to keep her awake. He really did have to talk to her, make her understand why they had fought yesterday.
"Mhm," she mumbled softly as she nodded her head, her face rubbing against the rough fabric of Hashirama's clothes. Madara knew her skin would be a soft red from the way she rubbed against it. Hashirama slowly stroked his fingers through her pink tresses, flattening the stray strands.
Yagura took Madara's pause as his cue to talk. "Do you understand why we were so upset?"
"'Cause you guys are meanie's." Sakura's voice carried a pout, her bottom lip poking out as she thought back to how angry the kings had been, how they had denied her what she wanted.
Hashirama laughed as he shook his head, no words leaving his mouth. "No," Yagura stood up and walked towards the little girl, his hand lightly rubbing her back. "Leaving the compound put your life in danger." She snorted at his words, the woman hidden under layers showing a brief grimace of herself. Contrary to what Ashura and Indra had said, the three males knew their place on the throne wasn't permanent, nor would they want it to be. They were nothing more than place holders, saving the throne for the woman who would one day rule over all.
Sakura snuggled closer to Hashirama's chest as she giggled, "Silly Yaga-sama," she cooed at him without looking. "I was with Ashura-sama and Indra-sama. Nothing could have happened to me."
Madara couldn't take his eyes of the small human in his care, the one he'd do anything to protect, the one who had always thrown her own life in danger. Time after time. He sighed loudly; he still had along way to go.
Hashirama shook his head softly. "We pride ourselves on being strong, strongest of the strong even, but there will always be something stronger, Sakura." She picked her head up then, eyes trained on him with curiosity. Those doe-like green eyes held an old soul, one that remained a mystery to all.
"Why?" Her questioned surprised all three male's, none of them expecting her answer.
Madara took it upon himself to explain this time, "There has to be a balance, little one. Nothing can be truly immortal, nothing can outlive time. It's hows it's always been, its how it will always be. Everything and everyone has a weakness, even us." Sakura's weakness had been her humanity, now that it was coming to an end he had no idea what her weakness would be now. Something that both encouraged and scared them. Immortals contrary to many human beliefs had more than one weakness.
Sakura was the biggest weakness of all, without her there would be no more. Immortals, however, didn't care to find out the weaknesses they had.
Her head tilted as she looked at them, questioning the meaning behind their words. Madara could see she wasn't quite understanding what it meant to have boundaries, something she had always fought to overcome.
A hard knock echoed around the room indication they had another visitor. Yagura sighed in annoyance as the large wooden doors opened with a loud creak.
"Kakashi," Madara stated dully as he looked the man down, "why have you called upon us?"
The only indication to the white man's facial features was the wrinkles around his eyes, signaling that he was, in fact, smiling. He bowed dramatically as he said each of their names, "I've brought someone good." Madara swore if Kakashi's boys made any more of a mess he'd end them himself.
"Who?" He questioned with boredom.
"Sakura?" It was a male's voice that none of the kings recognized; a thin boy stepped out from behind Naruto, coming into full view. It was the boy Indra had carried back on his shoulder, the one Sakura had saved. "I'm Rock Lee, but please call me Lee."
Said pinkette smiled at him with her best queen like smile, one that could make any man weak. The air around her changed as the small child adapted the aura of queen. "Hello, Lee." She bowed her head respectfully, "How are you feeling?" Her eyes showed an honest concern. Madara marveled at the change of the young girl.
Lee smiled enthusiastically as he returned her bow, head nearly knocking against his knee's. "I'm well thanks to you." His smile faltered as he looked her over, "Are you," he paused so he could swallow, "okay?"
Sakura nodded her head, "Yes, thank you." She slid from Hashirama's lap with the grace of a deformed dwarf, the child once more making an appearance. She rushed to the boy with a bowl haircut grabbing his hand and holding it tightly, "I'm so sorry for what they did to you."
They all knew she was apologizing for the humans who had hurt him, probably on more than one occasion. "I'm sorry you had to be involved." Every other male in the room now forgotten by the two children.
Sakura stomped her foot in anger, cheeks puffed out. "Don't ever be sorry for that!" She scolded him, "They should count themselves lucky they lived." She looked with regret, "Do you have a home to go back to?"
"No." Madara saw the answer for what it was, honest and true. He didn't doubt that the boy had no home, especially with the shower curtain he wore as a suit.
Her next words shocker everyone in the room, "Would you like to live here?"
sorry guys, i know its not much this time but allot of stuff has been happening, i just wanted to give you guys an update. xoxo