Kindling

Madara stared blankly at the Phoenix Throne, his muscles aching dully even two days after the fighting as died down and he had been all but shoved onto the throne while Shimura’s body was still cooling on the ground. Now he was here waiting for word from the resistance and their Hyuuga led coalition after they backed down the second Madara sat on the throne, neatly doing away with the second war that Madara had been gathering himself to fight with them once he had control over the empire and giving him hope that maybe most of them really had just been fighting when they had no other choice after Shimura started going after the clans starting with the Senju (the Senju that rumor had it had only one member now, apparently Hashirama had rejected the name and clan, choosing to go nameless rather than associate with his father’s war crimes and the war the rest of his clan was engaged, choosing to renounce his brother in the eyes of the law and gods). The Senju that had once been associated with the Hatake and the Hatake…Madara wasn’t dumb, he had known that there was more to Ayumu than met the eye but to wake and find his lover just gone –

“You’re thinking about him again” Kurohime’s voice was soft and Madara was careful to keep from twitching in response “I can tell, you always get the same look in your eyes when you are thinking about him.” almost imperceptibly Madara’s shoulders sagged and he closed his eyes as his sister cam up next to him “And are you going to tell me I should forget him because he was clearly a traitor and-“ Madara’s voice was quiet and tiered and he was relived when his sister snorted and interrupted him “No, I’m not Izuna Mada, I think you knew there was something more going on and were just hoping he would tell you. I think he made you better and you know it and you’re trying to figure out how to do with without him. I think the man who literally listened to you tell him about falconry and asked questions after, who never left your side even for chances to get closer to the Shimura, who looked at you like you hung the sun and it was killing him, I think that man is no traitor.” Madara swallowed hard and shut his eyes, ducking his head to get away from her intent dark gaze “I think that he believed in you whatever his name and I think he never lied to you when he could prevent it, Madara I think you are angry and feel betrayed, but I don’t think that matters all that much to you when the alternative is losing him. War is hell and if he had other people relying on him…” she trailed off and Madara rubbed at his eyes.

He had already considered that of course, had already considered what else Ayumu might have had weighing on him and wondered if there were lives on the line what would he have done? Besides, it wasn’t like the other man had intended to end up in Madara’s bed, that had been blindingly clear, and he had never used any of his access to get to anything that hurt the Uchiha or Madara and – maybe he had been lied to but…this was war and what else could he have done? The truth of it was that Kurohime was right; Madara was hurt and a bit betrayed and upset that Ayumu had never trusted him and shit, he was willing to work through all of that if he could just have his lover back.