Summit (Madara)
Hashirama. Goddamn Hashirama.
Hashirama's words. Hashirama's love. Hashirama's lies. Hashirama's truth.
His confession. His drunken confession after nearly being massacred minutes prior. His pheromones of honesty. The alpha's earnestness. Hashirama. The test of temptation.
Madara's skin had tingled as he smelt Hashirama's unfiltered feelings past the stinging stench of alcohol. His fingertips had wanted to caress the alpha's face, his scent gland had demanded the other's claiming bite. Followed by caressing kisses. The omega side of him had tried to hold on to all of these enticing emotions.
The words, the love, the lies, the truths. His confession. The haste of happiness, the rush of reassurance.
For a second, time had lost all meaning. A grand genjutsu in which even his Sharingan was shackle-bound, void-like dream had swallowed the Uchiha's soul. Only Madara and Hashirama had existed within. A dream without clans, villages, wars, alphas, and omegas. Without Zetsu and his promises of destiny and dreams. Only Hashirama and him and his words, love, lies, truth, and confession. A requited love.
The delight of pleasant lightheadedness. Weightlessness. gentle hug in a world he often feel the crushing loneliness since his brother's death.
At that though, Madara's mood had pivoted. The giddiness felt like a threatening, shameful weakness coming from an abyss deep within. The consequences of such a courtship came to his consciousness.
The words, the love, the lies, the truths, and his confession. Hashirama.
This marvelous dream, nothing but an infuriating illusion, had spat him back out. His feet had fallen onto the hard soil of Konoha's streets. The air of the night had smothered the heat radiating off his body. The blood of his ancestors rushing through his limbs and burned in his veins as if the ache should make sense of it all.
Back into reality where Madara was an omega. His biggest shame and secret. The clan head of the Uchiha. His most valuable possession. Not a mate any alpha wanted. An omega he didn't even want to be. He didn't want this.
It had been the first time, that he had been some sort of relieved to see Tobirama Senju. Just so he could get away from it all. The words, the love, the lies, the truths, and his confession. Hashirama. Pushing the drunken, overconfident idiot away from him.
He wanted to be split in two with kunai. To cut out every organ that made him live this cursed existence. That had doomed him to be miserable no matter the circumstance. Nothing was right.
He had made his decision already, hadn't he? Madara Uchiha would rather die a broken-hearted, lonely omega than endure the utter loss of dignity if his secret gender became public. He wouldn't lose his position as the clan head of the Uchiha. He couldn't let that happen.
"Never," he had mumbled under his breath as he had jumped away from the Senju brothers.
Even if it were for Hashirama? Did the Senju feel this kind of way for him?
Madara pushed his teeth together, clinging to his rationality once more. These whispering ghosts of doubt would all be set aflame.
Madara ran. Jumped from roof to roof. Distracted himself the entire night. Hashirama's beautiful lies, spoken with so much drunken confidence, had wrapped themselves around Madara's neck like a curling snake. They wanted him asphyxiated. Dead. Madara, only for a second, wished for the reality of it.
He cursed the ways of the universe that had seemingly granted him his foolish wish of reciprocated love. Damned these omega instincts and ideas he had long sworn off of. Forbidden, shameful, weak longings. A selfish omega whose desire could never be satisfied. He didn't want his omega needs to be satisfied anyway. He wouldn't give in to this temptation.
It didn't even matter whether this confession had been true or the alcohol was deluding Hashirama's sense of reason. Both options were horrendous. Trying to set him astray. Tempting him.
He had made his decision.
Madara shook his head as if it would scare away all his thoughts. The words, the feelings, the love, the lies, the truths... He would endure them. He would resist.
Madara scanned the streets for more invaders, for more enemies to get rid of, watched out for unfamiliar chakra imprints. He found no more. The night remained silent. For now at least. Peaceful as a lullaby as the final notes of the hectic anniversary festival slowly ebbed away. It was a a quiet night that brought peace and repose despite its ominous nature. Most villagers slumbering in their cluelessness that their Hokage had nearly been murdered.
He didn't even waste thought about sleeping himself. He would have nightmares anyway. Of his brother's final ordee, of his father's disappointed face, of his mother's tearful eyes. Of snakes and death.
A small group of shinobi approached him a few hours into his self-imposed task, their loud, in unison steps announcing their arrival. Tobirama had sent them with the claim of offering "assistance," but Madara couldn't help but roll his eyes at the idea. He didn't send them away either.
He guided them towards the two corpses, one lying in the dirt of his backyard and the other slumped over in the local Izayaka, in which Hashirama had drowned himself in cheap sake. The owner was still awake and thankful for their arrival.
The ninja moved swiftly, lifting the lifeless with ease and placing them in brown bags with practiced precision. They disappeared into the trees, the bodies in tow, leaving the Madara alone with his thoughts and the memory of the evening once more. Further research was needed to uncover the secrets of what had transpired.
He continued his watch the entire rest of the night alone. As soon as the morning of the next day came and the sun began to rise, he made his way back to the Uchiha compound. He<span;> wasn't surprised to see Naori and Hikaku Uchiha at his doorstep. Had expected them even.
"The clan heads of Konoha have been summoned for a sudden clan summit, my lord." Naori Uchiha said. Her alpha scent was turning bitter, a sign of worry.
"Do you have an idea what this is about, Lord Madara?" Hikaku requested. "This has nothing to do with our clan being mostly absent during the celebration yesterday, would it?"
"No, I'm sure it doesn't." Madara let out a sarcastic chuckle, shaking his head at the silly notion before his face returned to a neutral expression. "There have been two assassination attempts last night. One against the Hokage and the other against me."
"This- this is unbelievable! This is the greatest betrayal imaginable! Why did we know nothing about this? And the assailants? We have to find them, go after-" Hikaku intervened, his voice loud and irritating to Madaras tired ears.
"I killed both of them already," Madara said, cutting the alpha off, glancing at his own hands. "Their bodies have been retrieved and are currently investigated." He gave these two alphas a stern look as he continued. "I want this to stay confidential information until more is known. We don't need another element of uncertainty between our people." Especially not the elders, Madara added mentally.
Naori closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply before releasing it. She stared at Madara for a moment longer before giving him a nod of approval. A sign of respect. The woman knew that she had to follow orders regardless of how unappealing those orders might seem. Hikaku followed her lead and gave Madara a slight nod.
"Understood, my lord." They said almost in unison.
Madara sighed, hoping to maintain his composure when facing Hashursma again.
---
The leaders of the other three royal clans Aburame, Akimichi, and Hyūga, along with the leaders of lesser clans, had already gathered in the meeting room of the Hokage tower when Madara and his two advisors arrived. The door locked with a thud behind them. The room appeared bleak and dim because there were windows on the walls for security reasons. Things said in this shouldn't leave it.
Madara took in the scene before him, the nervous shuffling of feet, the twitching of fingers, the averted gazes. The whispers and rumors. The putrid smell of nervosity in the air mixed with the other pheromones of multiple alphas in the room itched inside his nose. But he stood tall and unflinching, unbothered by the distress of those in front of him. The pro setud Uchiha he was, his presence commanding and ominous as his reputation had to be upheld.
The group stood in a row before the spacious wooden table dominating the center of the chamber. His entrance had silenced the ongoing conversations, turning all eyes on him. The others' necks turned toward him like vultures. The only sounds coming from the occasional creak of the floorboards or the rustle of clothing.
The Hokage's seat was still empty.
He walked past the men and women, up to the chair situated right next to the head of the table, and sat down. Hikaku and Naori followed silently and postioned themselves behind his chair, watching his back. The other clan heads reacted accordingly, scattered from their groups of former chattering, and sat down on their respective seats as well, the lesser the clan the farther away were they seated from the head of the table.
Kasumi Hyuga settled on the seat left to the Hokage's empty one, Madara's direct opposite. The Hyugan alpha looked down on him before sitting down as well. Madara saw her mouth twitch. A comment, a teasing thought, was dancing on her mind, yet she hesitated before sharing it.
Madara wouldn't find out what she was thinking because the door opened once again and Hashirama and Tobirama entered the room at last. Madara couldn't help but let his eyes be captivated by Hashirama immediately. All the raging emotions boiling up inside his chest anew. He felt the snake around his neck curl up once again but he ignored it, pushing the thoughts of last evening away.
The Hokage looked surprisingly put together.
The dark circles underneath his eyes were gone for now. His skin was healthy and radiant, though Madara detected a slightly pinkened tint around his cheeks, presumably the last remnants of the alcohol he'd consumed last evening.
The Hokage walked up to the head of the table and took off his hat. Laid it in front of him. Their eyes caught each other for a second. Madara turned away first. He decided to play it off, acting as if nothing had happened. He could do this. He was Madara Uchiha, after all.
"A want to thank you all for coming this early in the morning," Hashirama said, his voice rough and deeper than usual. "Most of you must be wondering why this summit has been called so abruptly. My apologies for the short notice, however, there has been a serious threat to your village's safety and security last night that couldn't be ignored any longer."
Hashirama paused to gather his bearings. "Last night, two assassins attempted the murders of Madara Uchiha and myself. They were neutralized shortly after by Madara Uchiha."
Gasps erupted through the room at the revelation. Everyone shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. Madara kept his face carefully blank as he listened to the other clans' leaders ramble between each other. Madara looked at Kasumi Hyuga. Her expression was quite unreadable as well.
"My brother will share further information," Hashirama said and sat down at the head of the table. Tobirama stepped forward and everyone turned toward him
"My team and I have examined the bodies. According to our findings, they appear to be shinobi from Kirigakure."
Madara felt Naori and Hikaku shift behind him uneasily.
The whispers became louder again, echoing among the walls and across the hallways like the sound of waves crashing against rocks. Madara heard them but tried his best to block them out.
"That is a bold claim! How do you know they were aligned with another village?" The leader of the Akimichi asked, his confusion obvious to everyone around the table. Many nodded to endorse his critique.
Tobirama responded without hesitation, "To begin with, the gear and especially the masks the perpetrators wore are distinctive but relatively common among Kirigakure's mercenaries and shinobi. Of course, those can all be imported to obscure the true culprits but..." Tobirama paused and grabbed a scroll out of his pocket. He rolled the scroll open, laid it on the table in front of him. Madara's eyes widened.
It was a drawing of the seal he had seen on the assassin's chest. The air in the chamber got heavier.
"This sealing Jutsu is far beyond anything I've seen before. No one in Konoha could possibly possess the ability to perform something such as this. Not even my clan." Kasumi Hyuga said out loud.
"That is the same conclusion I have come to, Lady Hyuga," Tobirama approved. "Both corpses had been branded with these seals. One had been activated before their demise, as it seemed to be the cause of death, stopping their chakra and blood flow simultaneously. But we don't know why it got activated yet," Tobirama admitted.
"The seal was a precise measurement against my Sharingan as it killed my attacker as soon as they got caught in my genjutsu. Whoever was behind this, they didn't want any hostages taken." Madara added. He felt the eyes on him. Hashirama nodded as he listened to his explanation. Tobirama gave him a cold glance.
"Who in Kirigakure could know a Jutsu of this kind, either?" Kasumi asked instead.
"It might be a stolen Jutsu from the Uzumaki clan. We all know about the ongoing tensions between Uzushiogakure and Kirigakure. The recent raids could explain how they got hold of this technique. We have no reason to suspect the Uzumaki themselves of having anything to do with it as their loyalty towards the Senju is unquestionable," Tobirama concluded. "Kirigakure is the most likely place of origin of both perpetrators."
The leaders around the table remained silent for several seconds, their minds working furiously.
"You're assuming a great deal, Tobirama Senju," The leader of the Aburame questioned. "Why should I believe someone from Kirigakure would steal a secret Jutsu from the Uzumaki just to attack Konoha's Hokage without former aggression or internal abettor?"
"That isn't what I tried to suggest, Lord Aburame" Tobirama corrected, raising his hand to stop the Aburame clan leader from going further. "We believe the shinobi themselves were mercenaries of Kirigakure but there is strong evidence for the possibility that there is an ally within Konoha. Someone who wants to bring chaos and bloodshed to the village." Tobirama answered back.
"How can you be so sure of this?" Lord Aburame asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at the young alpha's quick reply. "Are you certain someone is willing to commit such a great crime under the Hokage's leadership?"
"Something I haven't mentioned until now. I have spoken with the Yamanaka barrier team and there has been no record of both of them being detected as they entered Konoha's territory." Tobirama revealed.
No one spoke. Even Hashirama seemed stunned by the news. The leaders exchanged nervous glances with one another. Madara didn't like the direction this summit was heading toward.
"But that means someone of highest rank had to deactivate the barrier for them. Yet every one of us attended the festival yesterday..." Kasumi said, then her eyes widened in realization.
"Madara Uchiha didn't," Tobirama said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "He wasn't even in the village for most of the day, my sources state."
"Tobirama..." Hashirama said, voice low.
Madara didn't need Hashirama's protection. He slowly rose from his chair and hold back Hikaku who nearly rose his hand against Tobirama in an angry fit of damaged dignity. He slammed both hands flat on the tabletop. Many in the room flinched slightly at the booming noise. Their gazes switched from Tobirama to Madara.
"The Uchiha have put all their efforts into supporting Konoha. Into ensuring its safety and growth." Madara declared loudly. "And you dare doubt that, Tobirama Senju? Have already forgotten who got attacked first yesterday? Who rescued the Hokage afterward?"
"I am just saying to investigate every clue we got," Tobirama stated.
"There is nothing you will find." Madara insisted calmly, before letting his eyes wander to Hashirama whose pleading eyes said more than enough about his inner turmoil at the moment.
"We should all remain calm for now." Kasumi spoke up as a voice of reason. "If we all cooperate we might be able to solve this crisis faster and make sure everyone in the village is safe. After all, we don't know whether the accomplice does decide to strike again."
"The Uchiha will not accept these accusations!" Madara remained adamant, remained cold, and unmovable in his position.
Hashirama spoke up. "As for now, there will be no suspicion held against Madara Uchiha or his clansmen. I trust the words of my close friend wholeheartedly. I hope this settles the matter for now." Hashirama shot him an apologetic smile while the leaders eyed Madara with distrustful eyes.
The other leaders didn't want to argue with the Hokage. Madara sat down again, satisfied with the angry look Tobirama tried to suppress.
The white-haired Senju cleared his throat and continued. "Understood, my team will look in other directions. Nonetheless, yesterday's incident exposed a grave flaw in Konoha's security plan. I suggest we change the code for the barrier. As long as we don't know their accomplices or strategies, the code will stay a secret for almost everyone. Even for most of you. At least until we have further information."
Murmuring started anew. There was considerable unrest among the leaders who didn't like to have this privilege taken away from them.
"In addition, I will initiate the formation of a special task force whose sole purpose is the protection of the Hokage and other high-ranking officials of the village."
"I second this proposal," Kasumi stated. Several people spoke up to add their approval now. Madara looked over to Hashirama who gave him thoughtful look and didn't even seem to listen to the ongoing discussion.
"This task force shall include a small number of highly trained and trustworthy shinobi who will keep watch, and hopefully maintain a higher level of security, no matter what the enemy has planned."
Several minutes of further debate followed. Madara tried to follow the arguments, but he noticed Hashirama's questioning gaze. Directed only at him. Hashirama wanted to talk to him.
Shortly after, the meeting was brought to an end.
Madara remained seated as Kasumi and the others gave their goodbyes and left the chamber one by one, talking to Tobirama and recommending their finest shinobi for the new task force to be created.
"Both of you, wait for me outside," he told Hikaku and Naori, as they waited for their clan leader to leave as the others had done. They nodded and went to leave the meeting room as well.
Only Madara and Hashirama remained inside. The long moment of silence hung heavy.
"You should pay more attention to these meetings, Hashirama. They were discussing your safety after all." Madara said, his mouth dry.
"I probably should. My head is still taking its revenge for yesterday and my thoughts were mostly elsewhere. Thank you for saving me," Hashirama let out a small laugh. " To be honest, my memory is a bit clouded. I wanted to talk with you about that. Thank you for staying."
Madara blinked. He opened his mouth to respond. The words were lost to him as the central realization occupied every corner of his head.
Hashirama didn't remember anything.
The words, the love, the lies, the truths. His confession. Nothing. All of it was wiped from his memory. Madara felt the coiling snake around his neck, forgot to breathe for a second, as all of the emotions came crashing down on him again with full force.
"I am also truly sorry about Tobirama's behavior. I tried to talk about him about his suspicions but he can be quite stubborn once he has set his mind on something." Hashirama continued talking, rambling on.
Madara listened, watched Hashirama speak, and act as if nothing has happened between them. An acid taste on his tongue. Was he alone with all of it?
"But Madara, I believe every word you said. I trust you and your clan. You saved my life, after all." Hashirama smiled.
'How dare you forget!', Madara wanted to scream, but he only clenched his teeth.
He thought he would be able to confront Hashirama, talk to him normally despite everything. He had been able to push away those feelings yesterday's evening had unraveled. He had collected his composure along with the other clan leaders. He had known how to behave. How to be the Uchiha clan head. The act. The attitude. The veil.
But now, alone with Hashirama once again, he had no idea how to act. Hashirama wasn't talking to the first of the Uchiha but to Madara. Solely his friend Madara. And he didn't know who this person was anymore.
"Sorry, let me get to my point. Ever since I woke up this morning, I feel like I have forgotten something important. Did I say anything weird while I was drunk?" Hashirama sighed, looking at Madara with anticipation.
Madara examined Hashirama from head to toe. He had to say something.
"You said you will decline the alliance with the Uzumaki, the marriage, " Madara mumbled, somehow out of breath.
"Yes, I plan to. That wasn't a lie"
"You really weren't yourself yesterday," Madara said, a tinge of heartache stitched to the edges of his voice.
"Did I-" Hashirama stopped midsentence. Observed Madara for at least four long, painful seconds before continuing with a meeker voice than before. "I'm sorry for being quite direct but I need to know, Madara. Did I possibly say that I had feelings for you?"
Madara was enchanted by Hashirama's serious expression more than anything else. Rage and relief wrestled inside his chest. He wanted his fist to connect with the other's mouth. A mouth so unashamed to ask such a simple question.
Madara stayed silent, thinking about telling the truth or lying just as Hasirama had done to him. Revenge and temptation. The words were wrapping themselves around his neck once more. Yet he didn't want to be alone.
Madara Uchiha was no coward. Had never been. He wanted to throw the truth at Hashirama's face and see his startled reaction. He wanted a conclusion.
"Yes, you did."
Madara listened to his own breathing. Eyed his fingers, waiting for Hashirama to apologize for the inconvenience like he always did. For the other to settle this matter.
Hashirama smiled, a hush of pink on his face. Maybe it wasn't the alcohol. "I don't regret saying that."
"What?" Madara exclaimed.
"I regret forgetting, but maybe I needed the confidence or loss of inhibition to finally understand these confusing feelings I have carried for a while now," Hashirama confessed. "I was so sure I had said something yesterday but you acted as if nothing had happened so I was uncertain."
"Hashirama, I cannot-"
"I don't expect you to return my feelings, Madara. You don't even have to answer me." Hashirama said as if reading his mind. Madara looked over and saw nothing but sincerity in the other man's beautiful eyes. Goddamn Hashirama. The warmth of the alpha's pheromones was overwhelming. It had all been real. Every word he had said. Madara's thoughts were a mess.
But did the truth even matter?
"I understand completely if you aren't willing to risk everything for a proscribed fruitless relationship between a male alpha and beta. I just hope we can remain close friends despite all this, despite the mistakes I have made and am going to make." Hashirama finished.
Madara looked back at him with a slight frown. 'Proscribed fruitless relationship?' Regret and relief. Snakes and death. Alpha and omega. Temptation and doubt.
Hashirama had no idea.
"I appreciate your honesty," Madara responded. "And I value our friendship as well."
Hashirama seemed relieved by Madara's reply, the corners of his lips curling into a wide grin.
Hashirama's words. Hashirama's love. Hashirama's truth.
Madara felt his lungs burning. But he knew he would endure it. He would survive.
He was Madara Uchiha, after all.