Festival Pt. 1
Tobirama smiled, a light joy filling all of his senses. A once rare thing that he allowed himself on days like this, days he spent with him.
The day had started like any other, with his mission completed ahead of schedule (as he had planned) with still two days (today and tomorrow) left before he was expected back in the Senju compound. He had done this for 3 years now and at first he allowed himself a few spare hours here and there. Never wanting to risk things going wrong in his absence. At 16 then he was still a scared child, supporting his then 18 year old Anija run their clan after Butsma's death from infection 9 months prior. But he realized, he had everything done ahead of time, he could slowly risk spending more and more time away and keep his senses on the compound, ready to run back in case of emergency.
But, there never was. Especially not after Mito moved into the compound, a firm glare from her kept her husband on track to finish his own work instead of assuming Tobirama would just wordlessly do it for him.
They had planned it together, a festival in a small traders village nearby. A place they had been to countless times now for small dates, their disguises being well known amongst the people (which had the added benefits of local gossip being told to them easily that had helped tremendously on a few of their different missions over the years.) No one looked too closely at them, and no one in their respective clans had the range to sense them there. The festival today was in celebration of a good harvest, and a good harvest meant great trades. (And maybe Tobirama and Madara secretly had their clans move to using this village for trades in order to keep their special place alive and booming.) So the streets were lined with lanterns that glowed at night, a walk to see them something they did last evening when they arrived. (Followed by a night of… ravenous pleasure in the local Inn; thank kami for Tobirama inventing privacy seals.)
They spent the morning and afternoon going slowly through all the activities there were. Being happily greeted by the vendors and people walking through.
"Todara-san! Marama-san! So glad you could join us again this month! How has business gone for the both of you as of late? I heard the Uchiha had been using your scroll papers for their official documents now and the Senju your inks." This was their small lie they had built upon since they first came here. Just a quality paper maker and ink maker who only used the finest materials for their wares. And yes, they had sold some to people at the markets here to keep face.
(Tobirama made them in his spare time as a hobby. Something he kept from his brother and used a shadow clone that could suppress its chakra to pass off as the trader Marama Useki when suspicions arose. Teaching Madara the technique for the ink was easy, katon being needed to properly boil the ingredients just right for the correct consistency and color for ink sticks and pots. The paper needed suiton for the correct saturation point and efficient drying times and Madara couldn't control the element like Tobirama could.)
"Ah, a fine year for us as well. The big clans have padded our purses quite nicely for our work. We thank the kami for the fortune. How about yourself?" The clothing merchant had told them his happy stories of his children and secrets he and his wife had overheard passing by shinobi make as the two bought new outfits for the festival. A wonderful red one for Marama (Tobirama, a color he usually never wore but the fabric was soft and wouldn't irritate his skin and he always bought fabrics like that when he could and would hide in a storage seal like the rest of his disguise) and a black one for Todara (Madara, he could stash it away amongst his closet easily.)
The food was exquisite and they enjoyed seeing the children laughing and playing without a care in the world. Not even flinching as they bumped into Madara, just a quick apology and continuing whatever game they were apart of. This. Thisis what they were working so hard for. They were almost there. Soon they would have enough support on both sides to get Tobirama to finally hand the treaty the two had been pouring over the last year to Hashirama to sign and send off to Madara. (All the previous ones being ignored but that had never stopped his Anija's optimism in the past.)
They had sat by a lake that was on the outskirts of the festival. In a spot they had sat in many times to see the sun set. Madara had excused himself for a moment to dispose of their trash and grab one final sweet treat for them to share. So there Tobirama sat, watching the water glisten with the light breeze as the sun reflected its light onto it. The day had been perfect. They had decided over lunch earlier they would tell their respective Families about their relationship. One thay had been keeping quiet about for the last 2 years. 2 years that Tobirama wouldn't trade the world for. While at times they had their disagreements, and the hiding and sneaking around had causes them some stress, Tobirama would go through that first mission they had begrudgingly helped the other out when it turned ugly and found it was a trap for them to kill one another because someone wanted more strife amongst their clans. And out of Tobirama's respect for his brother and Madara's still want of peace (and he couldn't have that peace of Hashirama no longer had a brother to protect), they worked together and found that they did so quite efficiently. Their tactics lined up and could silently agree to plans and get out of there with minimal injuries. Ones that they quietly helped the other stitch up. After the 4th time the two had crossed paths on a mission (ones that didn't involve a trap and were just coincidental in terms of the location) they helped the other out when they saw each other without much talking. (The 2nd time they had a similar goal and it made sense, and the third but just getting them away from the Daimyo's court faster because they hated the uptight nobles.)
That turned into them meeting up at the Naka once and a while to see if they could plan out helping the other with a future mission ahead of time. To them talking about their woes as clan head and heir. (Both had sort of forgotten they were supposed to hate each other, especially when they found out the other actually wanted true peace.) To them grumbling about their brother's being annoying and Tobirama sneaking a gift to Hashirama from Madara for this wedding to Mito. (The tree had sent an invite but he would never get away with it on his side. Hashirama cried tears of joy that his friend had somehow sent the tea set and Mito herself complimented the craftsmanship and uses it to this day. Soon Madara and him had developed feelings and they laughed as they brought the other a courting gift in line with their customs. Tobirama still has the poem Madara wrote him and he still sees the hair picks that Tobirama carved for him. (A message from the heart and a useful tool crafted from wood.)
He squeezed the gloves he had hidden in his pocket, the final gift he had planned for their courtship. (A mix of both customs. The Uchiha's show of care with a handmade gift that showed you would support the other in their dreams and fan their flame, with the Senju's need to show strength of their skills. Madara had been grumbling about his gloves getting to the point of retirement but lamenting the death of the craftsman who had originally made them. He took months to track down the craftsman and find out the hide he used so that Tobirama could make it himself and stitch in a seal using chakra thread for Madara to store his gunbai in. He was ready to spend his life with this man and was mostly sure Madara would agree.
So when he heard a twig snap behind him he didn't think much of it. Until he heard someone say "Senju." With such vitriol that he was confused as his disguise was still on. He turned his head to look at who had possibly figured him out, to maybe explain it away when his eyes met with spinning red.
He blinked and all he saw was Madara, kissing Hashirama and laughing about all the things Tobirama had been insecure about himself. Things he thought Madara had loved about him.
…..
Madara clutched the fan in his hand, ready to offer it to his beloved and ask him to be his forever. He had finally finished the easy to clean but very durable fabric last week and smithing the metal for the boning that would turn into small blades on top when opened. (The Uchiha were known as damn fine metalsmiths and Madara was no exception.)
He held a small bowl containing some mochi in his other hand that they would share after he presented the fan to Tobirama. Hoping the younger man would accept it.
But that dropped when he saw his lover on the ground, blood slowly pooling around him and staining the blonde wig he had helped pick out years ago and a blade sticking out his back. His eyes spun violently red as he lept closer, only to falter minutely on landing when he saw his brother close by, a wicked grin on his face.
"Izuna, what-what happened?!" He begged as he knelt down next to his lover, feeling for a pulse.
"Ainiki, that is Tobirama Senju! I just won us the advantage! He was here hiding, disguised like you but he would find you and I just saved you from being ambushed!
Madara glared at him, glared at the most ruthless one he could. Feeling tears drip as he felt the pulse weaken.