TODAY
- Capitolo 1° -
Childhood crush
“We have to train if we want to make our dream come true, let's see who can climb that rock first.”
Hashirama loved the mocking smile, the way Madara made his eyes narrow and sharp. Madara couldn't bear to lose on the rebound, which is why he was now offering him something different.
The friend with whom he shared ideas forgetting the misunderstandings in the family was a gift from heaven. By now Hashirama confided only in him, their respective fathers and brothers, so inflamed by the rivalry between the Clans, they could never understand why children shouldn't fight. He and Madara were tired of losing their little brothers, but for fathers it seemed normal to see one son after another die.
Although they had not revealed their respective last names, Madara's obsidian eyes and hair were unmistakable. Only an Uchiha could have had the iris indistinguishable from the pupil.
Charming.
“Are you deaf, Hashirama?” Madara shook his fist in his face "What's wrong with you, are you afraid?"
"Oh, no" Hashirama had curled up on the ground not because he really feared a blow, rather to hide his red face and his legs trembling with emotions.
"Okay, now don't get depressed" Madara had propped his hands on his hips, one eye closed and the other open. He was adorable when he didn't want to admit he went too far.
Hashirama had accepted his friend's outstretched hand, but the contact with the white skin, instead of helping him to his feet, had made him wobble more. They had never touched before, Hashirama would never have imagined Madara's skin so smooth. The certainty of not being able to have it had tightened his heart in a vice.
"Enough of that salmon face" Madara looked at him with his arms crossed over his chest.
Without answering, Hashirama had sprinted towards the wall on which Madara intended to challenge him.
"Damn!" Madara had moved while Hashirama was already climbing.
"You are disloyal" Madara panted behind him "Now I'll show you."
“Are you sure it's me who is being disloyal?” Hashirama had freed his ankle from Madara's hand before he could shoot. It made him smile.
Using his hands and kunai, Hashirama had leapt triumphantly to the top of the wall. He had leaned over to extend a hand to Madara, a few meters below.
“Take off or I'll blow your fingers off.” Madara had thrust the kunai between Hashirama's ring and middle fingers.
"As you like" Hashirama sat down, kept looking at his smiling friend. His chin resting on one hand.
Madara grunted, but his slipped foot instantly changed his expression.
“Hashirama…”
"Yes?"
Madara gasped without saying the words his friend expected.
“Hashirama…”
"Yes?" he wasn't going to move.
“Hashirama. Help me, damn it!"
Music to Hashirama's ears, Madara had stopped struggling and protesting as his friend pulled him up by the armpits.
"Give me up!" Madara had started making noise again as soon as he had conquered the top.
"But no" Hashirama lay on his back grabbing Madara by the waist, he dragged him over "I'll leave you when you admit that you hate losing."
Madara had propped himself up with his hands on either side of Hashirama's head, he was looking at him panting in his face without answering. He was still.
Hashirama smiled. Madara hated to admit that he liked it this way.
***
Madara had waited for the stone to make the last bounce before blurting out.
Only one rebound less than Hashirama. Only one.
Madara had turned to his friend exhaling air from his nose, eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowed. He couldn't help it, he flew into a rage when Hashirama maintained that air of detached superiority.
“You look like a bull when you do that.” Hashirama was relaxed with his hands behind his back. He hadn't moved, only his eyes had flickered to Madara.
"How dare you?"
Madara had leapt at him with the intention of knocking him down, had clasped his legs around his waist. He growled as he tugged at his robe.
Hashirama had smiled, yielding his friend's steel grip, he had reversed the situation by throwing Madara back onto the cobblestones. Then he lay on top of him immobilizing him with his hands.
"Give me up!" Madara gritted his teeth.
Hashirama smiled.
He had waited until Madara got tired of struggling to take his hand off Madara's arm. His friend, below him, didn't move, Madara didn't realize how intense his obsidian gaze was.
Hashirama’s hand had rested on Madara's forehead, brushing aside the thick, sweaty fringe.
Madara watched him motionless, trembling. Hashirama smiled. Madara’s legs would be long and slender in a few years.
Two people, the last step of both had been deliberately noisy. Though they faced each other, Hashirama and Madara were their targets. Hashirama had recognized the sandals of both of them, but his attention had turned to the right, he slowly raised his head. Tobirama stared at someone in front of him.
“Tobirama, how long have you been spying on us?”
“Enough to have seen what happened two days ago on the rock. He hadn't convinced me” although Tobirama was the younger brother, he had always had the power to upset the older one.
Madara, on the other hand, was looking to the left. Izuna held Tobirama at swordpoint. He had crawled from under Hashirama to go to his brother, the only one left to him.
"Hashirama, now we'll end it once and for all" Tobirama stared at Izuna.
"Izuna, let's go away" Madara had his back to the two Senju "Hashirama is much stronger than me."
Reluctantly, Izuna lowered his sword without taking his eyes off Tobirama.
"Come on, Izuna, or we both die."
Hashirama heard Madara's voice trembling, he covered his face with his hands.
“Ani, what's wrong with your eyes?”
"Nothing. Let's go away."
"It doesn't end here" Tobirama yelled at the two who were walking away "Did you hear me?"
Strange to see Tobirama surrender like this, Hashirama still didn't understand.
Hashirama's sentence had begun that day. Although he wasn't an Uchiha, he knew the Sharingan well, he knew that his activation was the result of severe pain.
He hoped that Madara would be able to free himself from the machinery of the family and the Clan, he would have waited for him.
Festivals
“Tobirama, Madara has no one left. If he became Hokage he would consider everyone as his family."
Tobirama had looked at him darkly: "If you nominate someone it's dictatorship, he should decide the people."
"Yes I know. The Hokage must be followed spontaneously without forcing anyone" Hashirama had lowered his gaze sighing, Madara was now unwelcome for the aggression shown.
It was about sensitivity, unfulfilled expectations and extreme suffering, too bad Hashirama was the only one who understood it.
"Have you heard?" Hashirama jumped.
"What?"
"There is someone out there" Hashirama ran to the window.
"Stop it, we are alone."
No, the presence was strong, it warped the space.
Hashirama ran out, he couldn't stand the pressure anymore. Going home was impossible, even holding the gaze of his unloved wife was oppressive. Needless to be polite, women always noticed.
Walking alone in the woods had become his favorite activity of him, the only one that allowed him to be in peace, he often went down in the evening without realizing it.
He thought he was alone, but he wasn't. A soft and heartbreaking cry had wrapped his heart in a tangle of thorns.
“Madara!” Hashirama had hurt himself kneeling next to him. Madara was huddled in the roots of a tree.
“Hey,” he brushed tear-soaked hair and snot from Madara's face.
"Get out. Stop destroying me.” Madara hid his bloodshot eyes. Hashirama had felt a strong whiff of alcohol.
"Instead I'm here to make you feel good" Hashirama kissed the slightly swollen eyelids that he loved so much.
Madara never escaped his lips.
“Would you like some Inarizushi? Without eggs, you hate them.”
"Hashirama, you never forget how I want them" Madara smiled between small residual sobs "Who's moving now? I need a horse."
“What am I for?” Hashirama spread his hands laughing. Then he stood up: "Get on the back of your steed."
Madara had jumped into his arms laughing, it was the most beautiful sound Hashirama had ever heard. His arms around his neck the most precious jewel.
“What a heavy jockey!” Hashirama pretended to protest and stagger, settling his friend's body had been an affectionate gesture.
Madara laughed again, Hashirama felt a kiss rest on his hair.
“Get in, nag!” Madara had kicked lightly on his thighs “I'm hungry. I know there is the Gastronomy Festival today. Bring me.”
Hashirama started running, after a few meters he tripped and they rolled laughing in the grass. A kiss after an intense gaze, Madara had leaves in his hair and the moon behind him. Then they left more calmly. Hashirama loved the way Madara jumped up onto his back.
Along the way, Madara seemed to have fallen asleep, Hashirama felt him pressed against his back, felt his heartbeat. Madara's head on his shoulder, a long black lock crossing his chest.
Madara's body jerked slightly with each step, the contact igniting Hashirama's lower abdomen without making him crave for more. It was perfect like this.
How many can be the best days in life? Maybe only one, Hashirama was experiencing it now.
"Come on, get off, we've arrived at the Gastronomy Festival" Hashirama thought it was more difficult to convince Madara to get off his back, instead his friend had slid down agile following the movement.
Hashirama smiled shaking his head, Madara had only pretended to be asleep. But it had been the sweetest touch of his life.
“What makes you think I want to get off?”
Madara had walked around him poking a finger on his shoulder, they had lost eye contact only in the few seconds Madara had passed after them.
Hashirama smiled trying to interpret his friend's rogue look.
Madara had taken a step forward wrapping his arms around his neck and pressing his chest against his, with a leap he had clasped his legs around his waist.
“Walk, listless than a nag. Have you forgotten that I'm drunk and hungry?”
“What do we tell the Inarizushi stall when they see the two Clan leaders in these conditions?” Hashirama grabbed his buttocks after receiving a kiss on the nose.
“Make something up or I'll tell the truth.”
“And that would be?”
The answer had been a kiss and Madara's back arched, it wasn't his intention to hide what was between his legs.
“A tray of Inarizushi, please.”
“Better two” Madara corrected.
The man had perplexedly leaned over from the counter, then withdrew his neck. Yes, it was just as it seemed, Hashirama was carrying Madara clinging to him.
“Uhm… sprained his ankle.”
Madara had stifled a laugh in his friend's shoulder.
“And he booze.”
Madara paid the shocked man, then bit into an Inarizushi by sticking the other end into Hashirama's mouth. He had started munching forcing his friend to flee like hell.
The kiss, luckily, had been out of the light of the colored lanterns.
"Are you crazy?" Hashirama had him pinned against a wall with his back.
“No” Madara's eyes sparkled “Lick me.”
"What?"
“Don't you know that alcohol is a vasoconstrictor? I might be tight.” Madara hissed into his ear, another rub on his abs.
Irresistible. Hashirama had quickly left the road to immerse himself in the park. From the wall, Madara had switched to a log.
Both of their clothes had sagged to the ground as they gazed into each other's eyes.
Hashirama had knelt in front of Madara and started to slowly pass his tongue from the base of the erection to the tip. He traveled the circumference of the tip, Madara moaned as he clawed at his hair, tore it out. Madara's thigh had landed on his shoulder, moving his hips, thrusting hard into his mouth.
Hashirama had brought him almost to the limit, then let him out. He had turned him over to find his perfect buttocks hard to chew on. He had plunged his face into it, Madara arched his back to make him better lubricate the entrance. Hashirama ran his tongue through it rhythmically.
Hashirama's hands went up his slender legs, then his hips, his waist. They had pressed against Madara's throbbing sex. He had entered inside without encountering resistance.
They hadn't lasted long, the contact along the way had already sent them into ecstasy.
In the most beautiful day, nothing had distracted them, not even a suspicious rustle.
Healing
“You're finished, Madara!”
Tobirama's raised sword had broken the spell. Madara lying on the ground exhausted was the most captivating image Hashirama had ever seen.
Despite having unlimited power, Madara still hated himself until he hurt himself. Hashirama had brought it to its limits, then stopped.
"Tobirama, I will accept his proposal" Hashirama had aimed the kunai at his chest.
"Are you crazy?"
No, he wanted to save Madara. He would never have killed Tobirama, he preferred to die himself.
The hand that had grabbed his wrist was so strong that he could have broken it, Madara had stopped him. His shining eyes fixed on him.
“You killed my brother!”
Hashirama had failed to counter Madara as he diverted the kunai towards Tobirama. The only solution had been to bend down, pick him up and disappear.
He had landed in the middle of the woods, Madara still gripped his wrist. Hashirama had let him slide to the ground, he was smiling at his friend's contracted face. Madara watched in amazement as Hashirama tore his finger with the same kunai that Madara stopped.
"Let me see" Hashirama had loosened Madara's cloak to look at the large wound on his back. Using the tip of the kunai, he had dripped a drop of his blood into the gash. His regenerative cells had healed him in seconds. Thus he had cured Madara's tortured body.
Fully healed, Madara stepped back, hands to his face, dropped. Hashirama had grabbed his arm to make him understand that he had to get up.
“Let go of me, Hashirama. You are getting married, you have a life and a brother. Unlike me."
"Hey" Hashirama was crouched next to him, caressing his chest. The most serious wounds were those of the soul, not those on the skin.
“I told you to leave me” Madara had grabbed him again.
Hashirama had wriggled free without ceasing to look at him. He had slipped off Madara's cloak, his skin was hot. He kissed his chest, her neck. Madara surrendered by closing his eyes.
That kiss had waited for a lifetime, Hashirama felt Madara breathing hard into his mouth, finally he could touch his much desired long legs.
He had taken off Madara's trousers, Hashirama had interrupted the embrace only for the few seconds necessary to undress. His biscuit skin clung to the white skin beneath him.
Madara gripped his broad shoulders tightly, Hashirama clawed at his perfect buttocks.
The contact of the erections electrified them, Madara instinctively moved his hips, his legs linked to Hashirama's torso.
Hashirama had thrown himself sideways pulling Madara after him, he was massaging his entrance, his fingers had disappeared into the supple and hot flesh.
Madara moaned into his mouth without letting go.
Like a day many years ago, Hashirama had turned the tables. He had found himself with his back against a log and Madara sitting on his lap.
Madara was lying on his chest, his skin sweaty and his head resting on his shoulder. It was enough for Hashirama to follow the movement of his pelvis to enter him. He no longer understood anything lost in him.
"Madara..." he squeezed a hand on his dick, with the other he encircled his waist.
"Hashirama..." his name had been a strangled sigh.
Hashirama lost his face in Madara's extraordinary hair, soft as silk.
Madara had no mercy, he arched his back rhythmically sinking his buttocks on his stomach. He'd only stopped after wetting his hand, adorable selfish. It had been Hashirama's turn to synchronize his pleasure, he had released Madara inside him by grabbing his hips.
The trembling bodies remained embraced.
Hashirama smiled, if Madara wanted to fight like this he would do it every day, forever.
Love
Senju and Uchiha lived in peace but Hashirama was curled up on the veranda with his head in his hands. A drill of anguish in his stomach and a vise around his heart.
The dream shared with Madara realized. As soon as he was elected Hokage, he would get married in the spring.
He would never have believed perfection so repulsive.
He was unable to do his duty with Mito, the last resort had been to try to keep the clothes on which Madara had left his smell and imagine the red hair turning black.
He had kissed her closing her eyes and for a while her illusion had succeeded. Then he had fled, he hadn't had the courage to go back and find her in tears.
Still the energy warping space, Hashirama raised his head towards the roof. He smiled. He had come up with a silent leap.
"What a surprise!"
Madara didn't expect someone behind his back.
"It's nice to see you" Hashirama hugged him.
"Let me go" Madara had pulled away with a hiss, his eyes reduced to two slits.
Hashirama took another step smiling.
"Dump me, damn it!" Madara struggled in the other's arms.
Hashirama had jumped downstairs taking him with him.
“Drop me” Madara wasn't so convinced anymore looking Hashirama in his eyes. He had stopped squirming, had wrapped his arms around his neck.
Hashirama had returned to the steps placing Madara on his lap. They devoured their lips, Madara's hands feverish on Hashirama's shoulders, they could have torn his robe. He moaned passion and pain.
Finally Hashirama could stroke the much desired hair.
Hashirama had lowered his pants and those of Madara, the cloak of the Uchiha covered the intimacy of both.
Madara had started his sinuous movements as soon as Hashirama had grabbed his aroused sex. Spreading his legs slightly, Hashirama had allowed his buttocks to descend. Madara's flesh had been like butter to Hashirama. Each time she could have been the last, they hadn't had time to undress.
Hashirama was shaking, no one in the world would have known how to move like the man he had on his legs.
No one in the world hugged him like that.
“Madara…” Hashirama sighed into Madara's hair. He had never understood what they owed to their scent of red apples.
Without ceasing to kiss him, Madara had come into his hands. Just a moan and a slight shiver as a warning.
Adorable selfish. But Hashirama was waiting for him from the beginning.
"I have a present for you" Hashirama had waited for Madara, leaning panting on his shoulder, to open his eyes. He had given him a golden pendant in the shape of a wing.
Hashirama had opened his robe showing Madara his necklace in the shape of an eagle which was missing a wing. Smiling, he had taken the jewel from the astonished Madara's hand to fasten it around his neck and make it disappear under his cloak.
“I will always come back to you, the only one I can fly with” Hashirama pressed the pendant on Madara's chest “You are my wings.”
“Hashirama…” Madara was moved.
“Hashirama!”
They both jumped.
"Hashirama I have to talk to you" Tobirama stared at him without expression, his gaze had turned grim only after meeting Madara's still shining eyes "Alone."
Sharingan
“You killed my brother and opposed me, you lied to me. Now you will feel my same pain, Hashirama.”
Madara's eyes were red and flaming with anger as he growled in disappointment. Illegally handsome, he wielded Gunbai and scythe without needing to touch the ground, his three year absence had served a new power.
All the others had fled, hid as far away as possible. Hashirama no, he was spellbound in front of him. Madara had managed to subdue Kurama and merge it with the Susanoo so that he could use its weapons. He admired it.
"I don't want to hurt you, you're my friend" Hashirama was calm, really happy to see Madara again, he knew that the sensitivity of his friend, of his love, could not have been lost "I didn't lie to you, I still consider you my brother. We had the same dreams, the same heart. I'm sure that's still the case."
"A friend? A brother?" Madara was screaming but his voice was shaking, his furious eyes were also watery.
The Fox had launched the Theriosphere, Hashirama had erected the protective barrier without using the maximum strength. He felt the claws of the beast graze directly on his heart. He had loved it and Madara had always wanted to hear it.
He still loved him, but he couldn't betray all those people who counted on him, he didn't feel like losing the only brother left to him and his son who hadn't come into the world yet.
Coward, Hashirama.
Hashirama cried as the barrier burned to ashes.
“Madara, I've always done everything for you. I held Tobirama and the clan so as not to hurt you. But now I have responsibilities that I cannot shirk.”
"Shut up!" Madara had jumped out of the dust.
Hashirama had dodged the sharp wind of the Gunbai, with the same weapon Madara had repelled his rain of Shuriken.
“I had faith in you, Madara, you know I would have wanted you in my place. I would still have been close to you to make you recover from the loss of your brothers, why did you become like this?” the dust stuck to Hashirama's face revealing the streaks of tears "I understand your pain, but I can't let you destroy our dream."
"Impostor!" Madara and Kurama had screamed together "It's not my dream anymore. Now I have one projected into the future where you are not there. I, yes, will erase the pain from this hellish world."
It was useless to reason with him, Madara was lost and with him the heart of Hashirama. He had even come to bite him by swallowing a flap of his skin.
The Thousand Hands had stripped the Fox of the Susanoo. By now Madara was exhausted, the use of the Sharingan had brought him to the extreme, he had distracted him with a clone to steal the Fox from him and paralyze it.
A valley was born, the earth was split by their fury
Hashirama had fallen behind him pointing his sword at his back, he had bent down to whisper in his ear, his silky hair was soft despite the filth of battle. More tears wet Hashirama's face, Madara couldn't see them and it was a relief: "I never lied to you, Madara."
“I have to protect what we have created and it pains me that you no longer want to be a part of it. I would even stop my brother or my son.”
“You have changed, Hashirama.”
The blade trembled in despair. Madara stood still, waiting for his beloved to release him from the suffering of a life of disappointments.
It wasn't important the sob that Hashirama hadn't been able to hold back, it wasn't as Madara thought, he loved him and hitting him from behind shouldn't have been the solution.
Hashirama was gasping for tears. His sadness had made him decide to make one last attempt, Madara must know how much he loved him. He had to tell him, what happened next wouldn't matter.
The sword had swirled in Hashirama's hand, the hilt had struck the back of Madara's neck. The Uchiha had collapsed on his face in the water that seeped from the cracked earth, Hashirama had lifted him before he drowned.
“Why, Madara?”
Hashirama had sat on the ground cradling his lifeless body, had freed his beautiful face from wet hair. Madara moaned frowning, Hashirama, heartbroken, knew that he wasn't suffering only from the blow received.
He had to fill the void in his heart. They had to fly together again.
To hell with everything.
Gripping Madara's body tightly and more determined than ever, Hashirama stood up and lifted him into his arms. He had leaned the Uchiha's head on his shoulder so he wouldn't fall back.
“We will be together, Madara, no matter what. I'm ready to take a risk and give up."
Tobirama should have resigned. And Mito too. The child about to be born would grow up in true love, not hypocrisy.
Hashirama had set out with the idea of taking Madara to a safe place unbeknownst to anyone, at least until he recovered and understood that he loved him. Then the others should have known too, Hashirama still wanted him as the right hand man at the helm of Konoha. It wouldn't have been easy, Hashirama foresaw a harsh reaction from his brother and his Clan.
Madara had become agitated and uttered more wails in nightmares.
“We will face everything, I won't leave you.”
Hashirama had kissed his forehead, had to stop to catch his breath, never realizing how heavy Madara was unconscious.
“Hashirama…Izuna…”
Madara was delirious struggling in his pain, his spasms making it difficult for Hashirama to carry him. He had to hurry, he felt his arms breaking.
"Hey" Hashirama whispered on his contracted face "I'm here, I'll be there forever."
Madara had relaxed when Hashirama had brushed his lips with his, had embraced him resting his head on his chest.
Hashirama had come out of the new valley, he was heading towards the woods.
His armor had exploded, his sternum bones creaked. The pain had come after recognizing the blade coming out of his chest. After piercing him, he pierced Madara's chest.
Hashirama and Madara looked into each other's wide eyes, their torn lungs preventing them from screaming, or saying the long-awaited words to each other.
Hashirama had collapsed to his knees, still holding Madara, they couldn't stop looking at each other.
Sparring
“How are you still so naive, Hashirama? And to think I was happy to fight alongside my brother. You are hopeless, a failure."
“Madara is a man who gets attached, I know he's not indifferent to that boy's resemblance to Izuna. I'm still optimistic."
They couldn't move but the pierced body didn't hurt, the pain came from seeing Tobirama, whom he had loved so much, hindering him even beyond his life. It couldn't last long, they were part of the past and it didn't make sense for them to be there today, yet Tobirama didn't let go of the cynicism as if they still had their whole life ahead of them. Wasn't it time to leave room for the young and finally rest in peace? If Tobirama at least tried to bury the hatchet they could have walked away in harmony.
“You trusted Madara and now Sasuke will die. Do you realize what kind of ruthless man you've fallen in love with, Hashirama? Madara didn't hesitate to stab him."
“Do you really have such a low opinion of me, Tobirama?” Hashirama was discovering that his brother's pierced head had stopped having an effect on him “I've always loved you despite the vicious cycle of hatred you've fed. I recognized the tip of your blade, Madara saw your face.”
I love you. They hadn't been able to tell each other.
Hashirama had expected it as he accompanied Madara drunk to the Inarizushi stall.
Madara would have liked to hear it at the spa on his wedding day.
Both of them had shouted it with their eyes pierced by Tobirama's sword.
But they had been given another chance. Now, there. Today.
Releasing Madara from the pain and the fury that came with it was now his duty, ripping him out of the inhuman state they were in back to the sensitive person he had been. Because he loved him, if now he had drained everything was only because Madara was not himself.
Tobirama had lowered his gaze: "You had no respect for anyone, not even for Mito and for the sacrifice she made by sealing himself inside the Ennetail."
"When you killed Izuna I had the confirmation that I didn't want to become like you, Tobirama" Hashirama only now realized how much he had held back those words "All four of us could have lived happily if you only wanted to, but your cruelty made you rendered unworthy of being a Senju. As soon as Madara is released, he will return to the person he was, the one I fell in love with. All I ask is that you don't screw it up again."
Tobirama bowed his head in front of his older brother, he had even widened the gash on his forehead to do so. Hashirama had looked away from Sasuke's mangled body, his black sclera glistening with emotion. He wasn't sure that the boy could get away with it, he hadn't been able to stop Madara without using force, but he was sure that his speech had touched Tobirama's heart. He hadn't had the courage to do it when they were alive and it had been a mistake, but he could still act. Today.
Free day
It was over. Or maybe it started now?
Hashirama had thanked Hagoromo with a nod before reaching Madara. Beautiful even at the end of his life, lying on the ground with his long hair scattered around. He had always been, in all its forms, even cut in half.
Hashirama had never lost faith in him, even when he seemed lost by now.
He hadn't stopped loving him even when he had lost his mind.
Tobirama watched him. Hashirama had smiled at him, holding a grudge had never been the recipe for a happy life.
“Hashirama, is that you?”
Hashirama knelt beside him, he couldn't be tired from the long battle, it was the most important moment for him. Now. The eyes with black sclera had never been so poignant, Madara felt them even though he couldn't see them.
“My dream was crushed, Hashirama. Yours will be alive forever" Madara spoke with difficulty, with each word he forfeited a difficult breath "I wanted to stop suffering. May the pain disappear forever, everywhere. I dreamed of turning off all emotions.”
"I understand you. You had suffered so much that you couldn't bear any more pain, I'm sorry for having embittered you so many times" Hashirama had taken his hand, he had slipped off the glove, he wanted to be sure that Madara felt the contact "Life is short, our dreams they must be entrusted to those who come after. We are part of the past, Madara.”
“You tried to save me, Hashirama. After our battle…”
Hashirama had placed a finger on his lips to stop him, Madara's breath was hot and alive, unlike him who had none. Tobirama was there, Hashirama wanted to avoid rekindling memories.
Hashirama, from under his armor, had extracted the pendant with the wing, had fastened it around Madara's neck. He was where he was meant to be. Madara had brushed against it, recognized it and squeezed it in his fist.
Hashirama had embraced Madara lifting his torso and hugging him. He had laid his head on his shoulder, kissing his hair. Madara's skin was warm, his blood flowed.
The opportunity they had always dreamed of. There, now. Before all.
"You say we are part of the past, Hashirama" Madara had less difficulty whispering in his ear "But today? We are dying, but now we are alive."
"Today..." Hashirama was moved looking at those devastated eyes, he caressed them: "Today I love you."
Madara's pained expression had relaxed, slightly swollen eyelids had squeezed out two tears. He smiled. Hashirama had always found his face perfect.
“I love you Hashirama. Ever since you told me I looked like a bull."
Madara had lifted up to kiss him, Hashirama had pulled him up to facilitate his movement. Madara's hands stroked his hair, Hashirama had not detached from those velvety and warm lips until he had felt Madara's last breath touching his face.
Hashirama couldn't have done more because that was all.
“Edo Tensei. Release."
Sasuke had never told anyone about the golden eagle he had seen flying away. They wouldn't believe him, he wasn't sure either.
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