#revival!au

'Pollo?

'Pollo I ran away from that lab they were keepin' me in.

I don't even recognize myself anymore 'Pollo. They turned me into their own spy machine.

I hate... it every second I hate it.

At least... you are doing ok. Maybe its better if ya' think I'm long gone. I'll do anythin' ta' keep ya' safe.

They got their eyes on me, 'Pollo. Always got their eyes on me.

(Alternate with just the lineart)

So in response to @raendown’s request for ^ I ended up writing some head canons, which sorta turned into a fic outline. It got kinda long so I figured it needed ts own post.  This would be taking place in an AU where Madara lives after being redeemed during then Fourth Shinobi War. Imagine Madara watching something like Kakashi and Gai’s race, during the Pein arc…

Honestly, I’m pretty sure Madara would be super jealous. Kakashi is cool and aloof and never gives his attention freely. Madara has had to fight to gain even a glance. I guess it depends on Madara’s feelings for Kakashi when he first sees Kakashi and Gai doing their rival stuff full on.

If Madara isn’t interested yet (and I don’t just mean romantically but if Kakashi hasn’t piqued Marada’s curiosity) then Madara will probably just be weirded out, and very derisive. Like, sneer of disgust, full on looking down his nose at them.

If Madara is even a bit curious about Kakashi, he’s going to be pissed—like, angry-jealous. “Why does that buffoon so easily garner his attention? And for such idiotic things?”

If Madara already has romantic feelings, he’s going to be super jealous—salty, even. He can see how close Gai and Kakashi are—Madara completely looks over the absurdity of their actions and sees the closeness of their bond.

The first time they get up to something, Madara tries to brush it off as just something silly. Still, part of him is burning because “why does that green idiot get so much of Kakashi’s attention?”

The second time, Madara tries to convince himself that Kakashi is just indulging the other man, so Gai will leave him alone.

But the more he sees it, the less Madara can lie to himself; there is genuine joy in Kakashi’s eyes, as much as Kakashi tries to play like it’s a bother. Gai and Kakashi know each other so well, are surprisingly in sync—Madara hates that someone else has that sort of bond with Kakashi, while also being reluctantly grateful that Kakashi has someone in his life to depend on. But Madara can’t help but want Kakashi to focus on only him. Madara has played second fiddle to Tobirama in the past, and he can’t stand the thought that he might get relegated to “back-up companion.” Madara is super insecure about his bonds, tbh.

Madara is going to be soooo salty about things…at first. Then he’s going to try and one-up Gai. Rival challenges seem to get Kakashi’s attention? Well, Madara is going to propose a challenge (not that it will be posed as a challenge or in the frame of a rivalry). (Have I mentioned before that Madara cannot flirt? Because he can’t. He’s so horrible at it—more on that in another post). Of course it won’t be with the same panache or to the degree of silliness that Gai’s challenges are. But Kakashi is observant, and he’ll pick it up for what it is. Kakashi may indulge Madara, but he’ll definitely tease him about it. Subtle comments that could be taken innocuously, but are a little too spot on. Madara gets so embarrassed (not that he’ll admit it) that he never tries it again.

Depending on Kakashi’s own feelings, things go three ways from here:

If Kakashi isn’t interested in Madara, he’s just going to tease Madara about it occasionally—when the opening arises. He won’t be looking for them, but when they pop up Kakashi will just have totally innocent comments that are far too casual to be anything other than hidden blades.

If Kakashi has feelings but he and Madara are not in a relationship, then he’s still going to tease Madara, but it will be more flirty: “there are better ways to get my attention, Dara-chan~ ;3”

if Kakashi and Madara are in a relationship, then Kakashi will tease Madara still—there is no relationship with Kakashi that doesn’t involve teasing—but he’ll also throw in “jealously” comments. Like “Maa…green is Gai’s colour, are you trying to steal that from him too?” But he’ll also be reassuring. Kakashi understands inferiority complexes—especially when it comes to relationships. So he’ll talk the piss outta Madara, but he’ll for sure make it up to him with slow kisses and lingering touches and so much more. Kakashi will also subtly remind Madara that while Gai is his best friend, they’ve never been and won’t ever be more than that.

With time, Madara gets used to it. He’ll still feel jealousy at Kakashi’s close bond to Gai, and he might let that cause an argument or two or ten or twenty. They generally go something like this:

Kakashi will stare deadpan and let Madara rant himself silly. When Madara pauses to ask if Kakashi has anything to say for himself, Kakashi will turn a page of Icha Icha (when did he pull that out? Madara will wonder) and give a classic “Maa…were you talking to me?” Which of course makes Madara even more mad.

Madara will learn that there is no such thing as an argument with Kakashi, that Kakashi himself didn’t start. You can rage at him as much as you like, but Kakashi won’t engage unless he thinks it’s serious topic—being jealous of Gai’s Rival Challenges most definitely is Not.

Maybe if Madara stormed out and didn’t come home one night, Kakashi would get worried, but he’d also be kind of like “well if he can leave so easily then he doesn’t deserve to be chased after.”

But then the second night comes around and Kakashi can’t sleep—”this is such a dumb argument why isn’t he back yet? Did something happen to him?”

By the third night, Kakashi is out looking for Madara. When Kakashi find him, that will lead to a fight where Kakashi calls Madara immature and Madara basically scoffs, saying “I’m immature? You’re the one indulging that boneheaded animal with your juvenile rivalry!” And now Kakashi is mad(der) because he might care for Madara but no one gets to deride Gai even if Gai is a little off his rocker.

So now Kakashi disappears, but not without some scathing comments. And Madara is not done with the argument, so he tries to chase Kakashi down. Only Kakashi has vanished and isn’t at his (or their—if they’re livIng together) home, and “where in the blazes did Kakashi go? He’s Hokage he can’t leave the village!” but Kakashi is nowhere to be found.

Eventually Madara will find him, and Kakashi will pull his disappearing act again—or he’ll try to. Madara will be ready this time, and Kakashi will end up pinned, and maybe Madara takes the opportunity to kiss Kakashi because it’s been a week now since they touched and Madara can’t really help himself when he’s that close to Kakashi.

[insert angry sex]

They talk about Madara’s jealously, sort of, but Madara doesn’t acknowledge it as jealously (to Kakashi, inside Madara knows what it is) and Kakashi explains that Gai is part of the package deal. Gai has stuck by Kakashi and supported him since they were children. He’s Kakashi’s oldest friend. Madara will just have to trust that friendship is the only thing between them, and the only thing that will be between them. Madara already knew he was being ridiculous, and has calmed down by now.

[cue make up sex]

Things are cool for a while, until the next crazy challenge and the cycle starts over again

Madara will eventually get over it. It’ll just take time and lots of reassurances. As the years of their relationship pass by, Madara loses his insecurity towards Kakashi leaving him/favouring others over him, which pretty much eliminates the jealousy…or most of it, anyways.

Madara will even start to tease Kakashi about the ridiculousness of the challenges themselves, which will actually fluster Kakashi a bit. Madara finds he takes great enjoyment in finally ruffling his love’s feathers, instead of the other way around (it’s so soooo much sweeter, having finally turned the tables).

Madara will start suggesting increasingly embarrassing challenges to Gai, which Gai will accept enthusiastically and with Youthful Tears of Joy because “the Love of my Eternal Rival has Finally Accepted the Blossom of Youthful Friendship!” Gai and Madara are in the Springtime of their Friendship, after Gai waited out the Long Chilly Winter of Madara’s Discontent. Kakashi will dread these challenges more than ever, but it’s a fair price to pay for Madara’s lack of jealously.