𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 | sasuke uchiha

49

"[Name]? Come here, please."

A good thirty minutes passed before Madara called out to the Kouhage, who had since found herself sitting at the base of a tree while she gave him time to mourn the loss of his brother in private.

Shuffling to her feet, [Name] forlornly made her way back to the leader, who was still on his knees at his deceased brother's side. As the Kouhage approached, Madara looked up and nodded at her to join his side, seeing the disconsolate expression on her face and wanting to offer her some form of consolation now that he had processed his loss himself.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, placing his arm around [Name]'s shoulders and pulling her towards him. Under any other circumstances, the female would have reeled at his touch; however, grief-stricken and saddened, [Name] allowed him to hug her comfortingly, unable to tear her eyes away from Izuna's lifeless body. This was a moment where they both needed each other, and she wasn't going to let any personal grievances prevent them from receiving the comfort they both needed.

[Name] shook her head in response to the Uchiha's question, closing her eyes so that she wouldn't have to look at Izuna any longer.

"I'm so sorry, Madara-sama," choked [Name], feeling her heart breaking even more as Madara embraced her quietly. "I should've... done something. Anything. Gotten rid of the Uzumaki faster so that I could rejoin both of you. Something helpful. I'm so sorry."

Listening to [Name] blame herself for something she had no control over, Madara gave her a small smile and squeezed her reassuringly, finding solace in her presence alone. He was certain that if he had been with anyone else during this time, his behaviour would have been tremendously different. As in, far less calm, and far more violent. Her presence soothed and reassured him, and even though he had just lost one of the most important people in his life, he was glad that another one was there to share the burden with him.

"There was nothing you could have done. It's alright."

"I should be the one comforting you," said [Name] abruptly, opening her eyes in annoyance at herself. Upon saying that, she gently nudged Madara's arms away from her and looked at him as she rose up onto her knees, giving him her undivided attention. "What do we do now?"

"We return home, and give Izuna the burial he deserves."

Madara frowned and looked down at his brother, still thinking of his final words.

Whatever you do, do not accept their peace.

"And... his eyes? What did he mean when he told you to take them?" asked [Name] tentatively, knowing that she had no right to be asking anything, but finding his request far too odd to let it go. Madara chuckled at her curiosity, and shook his head.

"He meant just that."

Without another word, Madara bent down and picked up his brother's body, careful not to let it flail around too much as he cradled it tenderly in his arms. [Name] quickly rose to her feet, standing before Madara and bowing deeply at Izuna's corpse as a final show of respect towards the fallen Uchiha.

"Let's go now, [Name]," said Madara softly. With a small nod, [Name] stood up straight and walked ahead of him, willing herself not to shed any tears as she led Izuna on what would be his final trip home.

***

On the day of Izuna's funeral, the entire clan was in mourning. Apart from the day [Name] and Madara had returned to the stronghold with his body after the unsuccessful attempt at assassinating Hashirama, the female had not seen him since. His body had been sent off immediately to be prepared for burial, and now that it was ready, her heart was saddened once more at the thought of having to see Izuna in his final resting state.