The war was raging on, and yet, Madara watched dully from the side as the allied shinobi backed off in fear of the Ten Tails beast.
Madara had long learnt that Hashirama was no longer the only wood user in history, that there were now more than himself and Obito who had the ability to utilise that power.
Madara had also gradually accepted the fact that there may be a particular few that could keep him occupied in battle for some time besides just Hashirama.
All in all, during this reanimated revival, he'd come to learn that Hashirama really wasn't all that amazing as an individual anymore.
Or that's what he'd concluded upon.
Taking a seat on a rocky ledge, he watched as some people screamed, some cried, some shouted, some begged. But it did not pique his interest in the slightest.
"It's a shame I won't see him before I succeed in my plan." Madara muttered to himself subconsciously, not even realising he was doing so as Gunbai hung down by his side untouched. "I'd want to see the look on his face when he realises that I can succeed too, that he's not the only special one-"
No... he's not special, he reminds himself as he silently grimaces.
Madara watches the people down below and tightens his gloved hand around his trousers, expression twisting as at the mention of Hashirama, he began to remember his life back as a teenage youth, back when he carelessly sneaked towards that river bay every day with a heart roaring with excitement.
He'd always watched Hashirama smile his blissful smile, his heart had always pounded, he was always so entranced by the other's kindness and beauty, something only he seemed to appreciate.
Yet that exact man stabbed him through the back, no hesitation in the slightest.
The comparative memory made Madara's blood boil once more, and if he'd been resurrected fully by now, he was sure his heart would be hammering with rage.
Then he felt it.
That chakra he could detect from the whole other side of this planet, that disgustingly familiar chakra presence he'd unknowingly engraved into every part of his body, his mind, his soul.
It was him.
He was here.
Madara immediately jumped to his feet, feeling the chakra approach closer at a very quick rate. The adrenaline increased by twofold as his non-existent stomach attempted to carry out three backflips in a row, he waited.
Then, under the watch of his unblinking eyes, he watches as four individuals arrive onto the battlefield, all were reanimated, but he couldn't care less about that detail.
His rinnegan quickly darted to a particular black haired individual, who stood up, saying something with a slight smile.
Those lips that smiled used to belong only to him, that smile used to only been shown to him.
"Hashirama!" Madara jumps down from the top, his landing almost cracking the new rocky ledge from the accumulated speed from his fall.
He watches seemingly impassively as Hashirama turns around, expression neither surprised nor shocked as he gazes at him.
The world seemed to slow around them, their eyes unblinking as they faced one another.
Something suffocating grew in Madara's empty chest as his eyes carried a spiral of different yet worryingly intense emotions and thoughts within.
But Hashirama looked away first, expression concealing just how dreadful he was feeling inside.
"Anija-" Tobirama began saying, but Hashirama ignored both men who looked to him with much anticipation, for very much contrasting reasons. He proceeds to follow the other's and creates a handful of wood clones, sending them out before gesturing for the fellow Hokage to create the Four Red Yang Formation.
Madara observed with restless impatience as the red barrier came to life, Hashirama even went as far as creating openings to allow the common shinobi through in an attempt to defeat the Ten Tails. But the boiling frustration that seemed to sting his eyes was not his anger at the Hokage's advancement towards the Ten Tails, but rather...
Look at me Hashirama! Madara's thoughts were almost screamed aloud with distress, but he held himself in and tried to bury his emotions deep inside his heart, like every time. As always, you really don't think of me much do you?
As I admire and respect your strength, you don't care enough to even turn around and look at me?
Madara's grip tightened around Gunbai, and his knuckles were sure to have turned white from such strength.
Wood style is no longer your speciality, you are no longer the only competent shinobi, Hashirama, you're nothing! You're not special, so stop acting so...!
Madara was never the type to put more thought into emotions before acting out upon them, and so, unable to keep his chaotic and emotional thoughts within, he suddenly dashed towards Hashirama!
Hashirama had been paying attention and keeping track of Madara's chakra the whole time, and without weaving signs, he creates a wood clone in an attempt to stifle Madara's need for a battle whilst he tries to focus on the main issue.
But Madara does not even bother raising his weapon against the shadow clone, and evades it, purple eyes set on the original, and nothing else could stray him from his path.
Hashirama watches him approach faster and summons his clone back to where he was, in that split second, he swapped places with the clone and back stepped just as Madara attempts to grab him.
So you're trying to avoid me again, are you?
Madara feels an emotionless smile reach his face, one that did not contain any amusement of enjoyment as he chased Hashirama away from the formation and crowded mess.
The Senju quickly feels a frown reach his face, but despite the confusion, he felt that it really was best if Madara didn't grab hold of him.
Madara suddenly increases in speed, startling Hashirama into backing off equally as quickly.
Then, Hashirama makes the first move, clasping his hands together he commands two pieces of wood to fly towards Madara, rather to hurt, it was to catch hold of him this time.
But to Hashirama's surprise, Madara absorbs the jutsu using this new eye prowess he'd never seen before and tosses Gunbai and kama on the ground, taking this Senju's moment of carelessness to stride forwards and yank his wrist, closing in with a slight smile as he observes Hashirama's startlement.
"I've finally caught you, Hashirama." Madara whispers, smile quickly fading away as he tightens his grip further to make sure Hashirama would not break away easily.
"What do you want from me, Madara?" Hashirama demands, his expression just as stubborn as he'd remembered it always being, making it all the more bitter to re-experience.
"Don't struggle, Hashirama. I just want to talk." Madara confesses with sincerity, glancing into Hashirama's warm black eyes with bitter quietness.
"Say, did you really not feel anything when you stabbed me through the back? When you killed me?" Madara asks, a forced smile plastered onto his 'patiently' waiting face.
He watches as Hashirama's expression instantly twists, eyes full of hurt as he quickly looks away at the ground, the burning sensation from his wrist eventually numbed in less than a minute.
"No one's here, so no need to be shy. C'mon, tell me." Madara urges Hashirama rushedly, his breathing fastening as the other still continues to hang his head down low in silence. "LOOK AT ME!"
Madara breaks his facade quickly, and only then did Hashirama finally glance up at him, eyes filled with nothing but remorse and sorrow. Such an expression should've been enough to convey one's message, but Madara needed more than a look.
"Were you happy when you killed me? Happy that you protected everyone?" Madara asks, his words become intermittent as his breathing becomes excited, eyes narrowing as they glare at the man held in front of him. "When you returned, did everyone cheer for you? Did you celebrate that day with joy?"
"No, I..." Hashirama was unable to finish his sentence as Madara leaned closer, expression almost like a mad man's as he allows himself to be devoured by his unhealthy accumulation of feelings.
"You what?! You just forgot in that instant that I was the one person closest to you?! You've never cared for me, have you?!" Madara shouts, voice echoing in the silence as he watches Hashirama manage to tear away one hand from his hold, only to quickly raise it to cover his turned face. Madara catches a glimpse of a despondent expression for a millisecond and gnashed his teeth, pushing Hashirama down to the ground with himself atop, he reaches for kama.
"What's wrong? Say something! SAY SOMETHING-!" Madara bellows in the other's face, yet, Hashirama does not make a noise, whether to affirm his greatest fears or to deny them.
"Hahaha, HAHAHA!" Madara feels his eyebrows knit in a frown of disbelief, eyes stinging with a sensation he'd not felt for a very long time.
To think he was correct.
To think that Hashirama really didn't care after all.
Why does that fact pain him so much?
"Here, stab me Hashirama. Thrust that blade through my chest like you'd done before!" Madara shouts, expression between crazed, forced laughter and disbelieving tears. "Pierce my heart, draw the blood again! Do it! DO IT! DO IT GODDAMNIT!"
Hashirama does not remove that hand covering his face, trying to fight with Madara's strength as he tries to reject the weapon being pushed in his hand again and again.
"Madara! Please stop this..." Hashirama finally spoke, his voice breaking on his last word, and it causes Madara to freeze in place, expression unreadable as his grip around kama slowly loosens.
"Hashirama... let me see your face." Madara demands, his voice unconsciously growing softer as he lets kama clatter to the floor noisily in the deafening silence.
"No..." Hashirama refuses to expose his face, keeping his face covered as Madara tries to pry such a persistent hand away. Desperation was unable to stay stowed away as it began to surface on his face, giving it one last effort to remove that hand denying exposure.
"Haha... do you really detest me that much now? You won't even look at me?" Madara muttered under his breath, withdrawing his hand helplessly as he kneeled over Hashirama, eyes relaxing as he looked away quietly. "To be truthful... all these years I've been thinking of nothing but meeting you again. But I guess you don't share the same feelings-"
"That's not true!" Hashirama finally removed his hand, biting his lip with agony as he reached out to grab Madara's collar, forcibly pulling him down till they were a breath away from meeting lips.
"Madara, I've never forgotten all those memories we had together! My feelings towards you! But the choices were so hard, I didn't know what to do! But I've always regretted it... many times I've thought of joining you myself but I just couldn't. I had these duties that tied me where I was, I managed to obtain the peace everyone wanted and yet I felt so caged." Hashirama continued to blurt on, feeling more and more panicked as he watched Madara stare at him with surprise, and a dreadful silence.
"I'm so sorry, I know these words will never amount to anything, but I am! I've missed you everyday, dreamt of you everyday... but I'm also Hokage, and I could do nothing but stay strong and protect them all..." Hashirama continued on, his vision became more and more blurred as he desperately fought on. "I-I know you hate me for it... but, I'm..."
Madara's eyes widen as he takes in Hashirama's completely disconsolate face, his pitiful eyes dripping with a never ending series of tears, expression looking so regretful and torn that it would've made anyone in the vicinity find him so utterly miserable.
"Your feelings for me?" Madara repeats Hashirama's first few sentences, expression quickly turning serious as he glances down at Hashirama's eyes, then his eyes slowly gaze down at the Senju's lips.
"I've always cared for you immensely..." Hashirama tries to explain, expression hesitant as he tries to place his feelings into words. And Madara watches this with unconscious adoration.
"Do... you regret killing me?" Madara asks quietly after a pause, his finger had unknowingly made its way up to rub Hashirama's chapped lips.
"Of course! Of course I do..." Hashirama expressed the message with absolute sincerity and helplessness, watching as Madara suddenly smiles. A very faint, but genuine, smile.
Why am I so relieved to hear this?
He's just a nobody...
Hashirama watches with surprise as Madara suddenly begins glowing, a faint white light surrounding him before Madara's soul emerges from the deceased corpse.
"Madara? W-Wait, I still have more to tell you! I-" Hashirama quickly hurried to his feet, raising a hand up but Madara continued to float up towards the sky, expression quiet as he watched Hashirama reach out to him before, slowly, a sorrowful yet gently affectionate smile appeared on his face.
And it was absolutely stunning, causing Hashirama's eyes to widen with both yearn and shock.
That's right, he's no longer special.
But he will forever hold a special place in my heart.