Ashen Waters

The mission has been a shitshow since Hashirama accepted it.

First, if not for Izuna's brilliant idea to use a sharingan to 'copy' important mission scrolls or rather those deemed B rank or above, the details would have been lost to a tea spill because Hashirama wasn't paying attention.

(And as much as Madara hated to admit it, Tobirama's addition in adding a ranking system for missions was genius. It saved so much damn time in sending out the correct teams based on his successful shinobi ranking system he had also implemented. It was entirely unbiased and fair and ensured children got to actually grow up.)

Next, the parameters changed from just two Jounin when Izuna read the fine print. And needed the highest representative of both founding clans. Meaning the Uchiha and the Senju. Meaning, the third thing on his list, he had to go on a mission with Tobirama.

Fourth, the Senju was too quiet. He didn't speak much outside of mission requirements. Not that Madara would have wanted to talk to him, but conversation of any kind helps in passing time. Does he even feel? Kagami says he laughs with his students and Izuna says he has gotten a smirk out of him on more than one occasion. But all I've seen is blank face and scowls or annoyed pinched expressions.

Fifth, not only was the mission actually a trap, trying to get one of them to kill the other or make it look like that happened and both died in the end anyway, they were now covered in blood. 

So far, the only good thing that has happened was them saving some important dignitary or some shit from the still young Sunagakure. Meaning alliances.

Sixth, it was now thundering and starting to rain, 3 hours from the village. Yes, they could stop and find shelter. But Madara just wanted to go home and forget this mission. (And was silently enjoying the rain washing the sticky blood off.)

He was dead set on just pushing through and just getting back and ignoring everything else…. Until Tobirama just suddenly stopped in a clearing.

"Senju, what the hell are you doing?" He watched the man just put his hands out and close their eyes.

"Feeling the rain." Another crack of thunder made Madara jump slightly.

"We're in the middle of a thunderstorm, and you chose to stop to 'feel the rain'?"

"You are welcome to go on without me. I will be fine by myself."

"And you get struck by lightning and die and I get blamed for abandoning you? Hell no." With quick hand signs from the younger Senju, a shelter made of rock appeared over Madara.

"Then feel free to wait."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Have you ever felt the rain before?"

"I was literally standing in it with you 30 seconds ago."

"That's just being rained on. Have you ever felt the rain before?"

"What are you on about?" Chakra exhaustion based hallucinations?

"When the scent of the rain is still fresh, mixing with the world around you. Every drop has a different sensation, the sky giving back to the earth below. The sound of the splatters and taps on everything is different, drowning out every other sound that is not it."

Madara contemplated the words.

"Are you sure you weren't just hit in the head really hard?" Something in Tobirama's expression softened but in a more sad way. And Madara would ignore that pang of guilt he felt from it.

"Anija says my water affinity is what makes it possible but children who have none can feel it too. Why they yearn to go out in it and play." Is that why Kagami comes home looking like a wet rag some days?

It rained a bit harder, the droplets coming faster. And Madara saw the softness relax to an even softer smile and maybe it was that, seeing the White Demon of the Senju just close his eyes and relax and smile. That was what shocked him to the point he chose to join the man.

He put his hair up first, knowing it would be washed later and not needing it more knotted then it already was.

He put a hand out first, the rain was cool, but like the Naka on a hot day. Refreshing almost. He closed his eyes and stepped out, looking up to the sky and instead of focusing on getting dry, he try to focus on the rain itself. Like the Senju said.

And wow. 

Why hadn't he tried this before? He remembers flashes of being a kid and the rain meaning mud fights with his siblings. 

Each drop felt like his muscle tension was being washed away somehow. Letting his muscles relax. He could hear the faint sound of a bird chirping in a tree as the sound of the droplets hitting leaves and twigs, the grass and slowly forming puddles. It was music he couldn't dream of, even the thunder that would normally have him more on edge adding a deep bass sound like drum and lightning like fireworks behind his eyes.

"You actually stepped out here with me?" Madara opened his eyes to an expression he couldn't quite read. It was so... raw looking. Like he really eat expecting this.

"Why is that surprising? Do you and Hashirama not do this?"

"Anija thinks it silly and Touka believes I'll just get sick from it."

"Yeah, like you can't flick your wrist and the water is removed as fast as the blood in those assholes yesterday. Thank you by the way."

"Mind not telling Anija I used that?" What?

"He banned that jutsu when we were younger."

"You mean to tell me, you had that when we were at war with each other?"

"Yes but do not worry Hashirama would have ensured your safety if he even noticed my hands moving to use it."

"What? He would have struck you to protect us." It wasn't a question and Tobirama's expression was all the answer he needed.

"Is that how you stopped Izuna from bleeding out?" It was Tobirama's turn to ask, "What?"

"Don't play dumb Senju. I know the anatomy of a body too. Hashirama's healing or not, Izuna would have bled out in my arms standing there. You kept the blood in and flowing properly."

"Hashirama is still angry at me about it." He stated closing his eyes in a way that reminded Madara of a perpetually punished child.

"If you hadn't hurt him that badly, no sense would have been knocked into me on the reality of how it all could end. By literally your grace alone, did he ever survive a battle with you. Hell knows Izuna would have killed you just the same. And I'll be damned if I didn't admit I used to wish maybe he had."

"Used to?" A sliver of hope entered his voice.

"You are the only one who was able to even handle Kagami and his intense energy and flood of questions."

"He's an excited child, growing up like we never could. Questions are to be cherished. They mean a strong mind."

"You must have been the same as a child then."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Do I need to spell it out to you? You're a genius, dammit! This village would not be as functional as it has been or even gotten off the ground without your plans! Sweet Kami. When they first were presented to me, I thought bark for brains wrote them! Then we get here and our offices working together and I see your handwriting more than anything else and it matches but neater. Like you wrote those when you were a child."

"Who do you think heard Anija's dreams of peace first? Before he met you, he told me everything."

"And now?"

"He hasn't trusted me since the fight that day at the river with both our fathers. Even less since Izuna was injured."

"I'm sorry, what?!" Tobirama just shrugged.

"To him, I am just the perfect soldier our father wanted. The ghost our clan claims me to be. Heartless."  The mad eyes remained closed and Madara could see the rain was his comfort like Madara's was a flame.

A young voice rang in his memories. "Madara! My little brother Tobi is the best! He is so smart and strong! One day maybe you'll get to meet him! We can all be friends then! But when you do, he is shy, but the nicest in the world so just give him a chance!" The memory of one of his talks with Hashirama when they were kids shook him. How? How are they so different?

"Surely his feelings must have changed since then. It's been 3 years since Izuna almost died and you and him are friends if I am not mistaken." The man met his gaze and the raw emotions in his eyes told him no.

"His last words to me before we left that gate were to ensure your safety."

"Not even an 'I love you'?"

"I doubt he still feels that for me anymore. I have forgotten how that statement sounds in his voice. He dares not say it to Mito in front of me."

"What? Like you'll combust with anger at the thought of a normal human emotion? Sweet kami. How have you not abandoned this village yet?"

"All I ever wanted was to see Anija's dream realized." It was a sigh of wistfulness, and admittance of something.

"You wear a mask."

"I assure you, I do not. Just the Happuri."

"The mask, your face I mean. It's a mask. You hold it all in, everything while at the tower. Everywhere "

"Any emotion is seen as me losing control."

"I think I need to bash your brothers head in and shake out tbe acorns he clearly stores in there." That earned him a small chuckle from the man. But it was a sad one.

"Touka said the same thing. But she can't go against him. So she makes his life hell with pranks."

"No wonder Izuna loves her."

"If he just asked her out, she'd say yes. She fancies him too."

"And you know that, how?"

"The mask you speak of, I can lessen it with her. Speak about some things more freely."

"No one else?"

"I am going to blame my frustration on this whole shitshow of a mission for why I am even saying any of this. But no. You are the first person to hear mostly any of this. Other than my summons of course."

"You have summons? Why have Inever- wait. Don't tell me he banned you from using those too?"

"He thinks you'd be offended by my snow leopards somehow."

"The snow leopards contract? You signed it? It's the hardest contract to get!"

"I currently have it. Tucked away safely until Kagami reaches a better age and has better chakra reserves."

"You, what? If rumor holds true you have to be fiercely loyal but honorable, you only hunt when needed and kill cleanly. Wow okay now that makes so much sense and I really need to go hit your brother."

"Why?"

"The Uchiha have a love of cats. Some legend of that being one of the forms Ameterasu took long ago when she could still walk among us. Any contract with a cat based creature is instant respect."

"Why is that?"

"You can't force your way into one of those. They are too prideful of creatures. Snow leopards are known for being solitary so if they allow their contract to be signed, it means the summoner has shown good reason for them to stay in a group. A pack."

"You know a lot about them."

"I have been trying to find the panther one for years."

"Well…"

"If you have it, I swear to kami."

"I may have all of them?"

"All of them as in…?"

"Cat summoning contracts. The snow leopards hadn't signed one in decades before I found it. Had to prove myself to non summonable leopards first."

"How..?!"

"Word spread that I was trustworthy. And a good judge of character on people who would be fit for their respective contracts. So, slowly each one ended up in my possession with the leaders each saying to summon them if I needed to, contract or not. Or if I found a possible signer. I can bring you the panther one if you'd like? I believe you'd make a good fit for them but I just assumed you had hawks."

"They're not summons. Just a fun hobby of mine. You really thought they were summons?"

"You take care of them amazingly and have trained them so well, I could not tell the difference. I always wondered how you summoned them without biting your thumb. I guess I know now?"

"Hey Tobirama?"

"Yes Madara?"

"After I murder your brother-"

"Please do not."

"Knock some sense into him. Would you like to look over the Nara treaty with me?"

The flush of pink of Tobirama's cheeks could be attributed to the rain, but the way his eyes dilated had Madara knowing his question was interpreted properly.