Chapter 1
Rikona Hatake stared down at her cub. His dandelion puff of snow white hair was so very similar to her Clan’s own silver, but she had already seen from his Red eyes, that he would be shown no love by her Husband’s clan.
“Tch.” Rikona didn’t even give the Head wife, Lady Sara Senju, a second or third cousin removed from the main line, a glance. She knew the woman was glaring from the doorway of her bedroom. And she didn’t care. As long as the woman didn’t harm her cub, Rikona didn’t give two fucks about her standing in the Senju clan. Lady Sara was the eldest daughter of a councilman and sure, she had already birthed the Heir, but their Husband Batsumu had needed spares.
Rikona just wanted a cub to pass her skills down to. She was one of the rare summoners in their Wild clan that had earned the respect and loyalty of the Snow Leopards. Her elder twin sister had their Mother’s Wolf contract, but their younger brother had the just as rare Snow Tiger Contract.
“Ugly little thing. Tiny. a bad omen.” Sara hissed. “The Elders will have that disgraced killed.”
Now that, Rikona wouldn’t stand for. Only cutting her silver eyes off her son, and onto the smaller woman -being petite was rare in the Senju line.- The massive snow leopard in the corner went on alert and was snarling as it prepared to pounce on the prey it’s summoner felt a threat.
Sara screamed in fear and went crying like the civilian woman she was towards their husband.
Rikona knew Batsumu wouldn’t dare enter her den after just whelping. The man was not stupid. Hell, he’d convinced her to marry him to bond the Hatake to the Senju. An alliance that had never been done before. Her clan was feared for a reason.
She grinned sharply at the lingering scents of fear from the weak woman. What she wouldn’t give to share her memories with her twin sister back with the pack.
Pushing such longing thoughts away, Lady Rikona chuffed down at her cub who cooed up at her softly. Despite being born early, despite being born deep into winter during one of the coldest snow storms, despite most likely being seen as a wild thing in the future because it was genetic in her line, She knew her son would be great and she would see to it that he was.
~ (Hatake are wanders with inuit inspired fashions since they can travel to the north and not die)
Dressed in her Amauti, Tobirama secured against her back and sharing her body heat, Rikona readied for a hunt. It had been a month since Tobirama’s birth and winter hadn’t let up. It was the worst the Fire Nation had seen in generations. Many were blaming Tobirama’s birth after Sara spread the word that her cub was ‘unnatural.’ Rikona knew better. Winter was a blessing, it cleansed away the previous year’s troubles and blood, and the harsher the winter, the deeper the cleaning.
Her little Tobirama would be great. That is why she started him early. His tiny little head could just barely see over her shoulder as she ran. But she was treating her cub as she would any proper Hatake.
~
Rikona sat with her three year old Tobirama, brushing out his growing locks. With their better senses they could both hear and smell Lady Sara’s screams of pain as she labored through her second son.
Seven year old Hashirama was sitting on his father’s lap as they all were resting in the main sitting room waiting for the news.
Hashirama was taking his adorable baby brother up even as Tobirama just sat there and stared at his brother with a curious tilt to his head.
Batsumu sighed and put a hand over his eldest’s mouth. “Settle Hashirama.”
“But Tou-sama!!” The child whined. “Tobi won’t talk-”
“Maybe he doesn’t want to talk.” Batsumu huffed and eyed his second wife with adoration in his eyes. Rikona’s own softened on him.
Many knew of the tension between the Wives of Lord Batsumu. Sara may be the first wife, but every one knew that Batsumu’s affection was solely on his Hatake wife. Thus, many of the other Clansmen followed her. Not to mention she could put them on their asses with ease. Only the women flocked to Lady senju, scared of Lady Rikona’s wild nature. (This never dampened their respect for her as she was the one that still went out and hunted during the winter for the Clan. Something Sara could never do with her civilian upbringing.)
“Tree.” Tobirama said bluntly and pointed at Hashirama. “Mama…Anija feels like the trees.”
Silence, even as Sara’s screams lessed in the background.
“Cub?” Rikona whispered. “What are you talking about?”
Red eyes looked up at her. “Anija feels like trees. Why does Anija feel like trees? It’s gotten louder the more we see him.”
Rikona looked up at her husband and saw a contemplative look on his tanned face.
“Son,” he called and Tobirama turned to his sire with curiousness and longing to the answers to his questions. “What do I feel like?”
Tobirama looked down at his father’s chest and tilted his head again. “Mud but not bad mud…uhh….hnnnn” He trailed off with a whine looking at his mother for help. “What’s not bad mud? Not like swamp mud, but…but…river bank warm mud. Squishy, feels funny, but won’t eat my sandals. I like wiggling my toes in it because it feels funny but feels nice.”
Rikona and Batsumu stared before bursting out laughing and the Senju Clan head picked up his son and kissed his nose. The tiny button nose scrunched and red eyes crossed. At that moment his son looked more rabbit than leopard or wolf.
Butsumu may not like Red eyes, but he’d quickly learned to accept his albino son, a blessing in his hatake wife’s clan, or else he’d never know pleasure again.
“You are a passive sensor then cub. We will have to work with you on that.”
The midwife walked in a few minutes later exhausted. “Lord Senju, Lady Sara and your son are presentable.”
Ruffling Tobirama’s silk soft hair and Hashirama’s own senju thick hair, the Head stood up and headed for his first wife and third child.
~
Tobirama sat curled up in Akira’s body with her cub Niko in his lap. Niko was his partner. Mama had said so. But now, Tobirama was getting another baby brother. He knew Kawarama and him only shared a dad, but Kawa lost his mama only a few months ago. So his mama had been feeding him and raising him.
Tobirama always did his best between his studies and trainings to help take care of him. Mama only just smiled and indulged him.
Now his mama was gritting through the pain and having another brother for him to cuddle and feed and spoil and protect.
With a finally scream, the gooey thing slipped out and the midwife and her assistant went to cleaning his brother.
Tobirama snuck over and about gasped in delight, He had unique hair! Like Tobirama did!
He followed the swaddled baby to his mother who just chuffed amused and let him see his new packmate. Half silver hair, half hair as brown as Anija’s.
“What’s his name mama?” Tobirama looked up at her bright silver eyes.
“Itama.” She sighed tired, but pleased.
“I’m gonna tell Hashi and Papa!” The four year old ran off and did as promised.
~
Tobirama was five when he went on his first mission. Hashirama was with him and so were a few older shinobi. It was just a safe patrol, but it was a learning experience.
Tobirama didn’t like how he couldn’t keep up. He wanted to get stronger. He was not just a senju but he was his mother’s hatake Prince.
~
Almost Seven Year old Tobirama paced and paced in the Main room by the fire. As water and wind natured, poor tobirama could never stay warm very long. He eyed where Niko was watching him with Tobirama’s other two partners, Kiku and Tala. The three snow leopards were just as worried as Tobi was.
Mother wasn’t back.
“Bi-nii?” Little Itama asked from the cuddle pile his leopards had his baby brother wrapped in. “Where’s mama?”
“She’ll be back soon Itama.” Tobirama promised and gave up pacing as he stretched his senses as far as possible instead while moving to join the cuddle pile. Kawarama would join them soon once father was done with his one on one training time. Itama would start his own training once he too turned four.
So focused on feeling and searching the stretch of his decent range, Tobirama didn’t feel when Akira returned to the clan.
Batsumu though noticed and rushed to his wife’s summons only to stop dead at the sight of his wife’s unmoving body. The Leopard whined even as it limped closer and gently laid down.
“We…we were ambushed. Shimura and Hagoromo.” Akira growled.
Batsumu let out a snarl his wife would have been proud of before he choked it off and with trembling hands, picked up his warrior wife’s body and cradled her to his chest. The Clan had already started gathering. He needed to take her away before Tobirama smelled-
“Ka-san!” the yowl echoed in the air and Batsumu whipped around to see Tobirama standing there with his three brothers.
Tobirama had scented blood on the air. Blood he was intimately familiar with. His mother’s blood. Akira’s blood. His senses had sharpened and realized he only sensed Akira. Where was mother? Only to rush out, little itama following and kawarama and hashirama jolted from their arrival for dinner to see the fearful look on Tobirama’s face. They’d followed instinctively.
They wished they hadn’t. Rikona had become a second better mother to Hashirama after his own mother had passed away.
Tobirama launched for his mother’s body and whined and whined and whimpered when he didn’t feel her chakra, could feel how cool her body already was. Could see how injured she’d been. His eyes watered, his grief turned into rivers of tears and yowling of pain.
He didn’t hear his father ordering Akira to take him away with his brothers. He only knew the pain of his lost mother.
Cuddled under his brothers, leopard mother, littermates, tobirama sobbed and sobbed until he fell asleep exhausted.
~
Something in Batsumu broke that day and was rarely seen since.
~
After his mother’s death, Tobirama trained to his limits and pushed further. This only enforced by Batsumu. He knew his son was a genius and would have the correct genes to be a good right hand for Hashirama. Especially since Hashirama prefered to skip more trainings and play in the forest than learn how to run the clan.
So he taught Tobirama so the Albino could support his brother better. Now, that didn’t mean he didn’t forget Kawarama or Itama. No, his sons were all he had left of his wife, even if Kawarama wasn’t Rikona’s, she still raised him and the boy had taken after her skilled and ruthlessness in taijutsu.
Itama was showing to take after Batsumu’s sister, the Clan’s head healer. So even at four he allowed the kind hearted child to study under his aunt since the child was already showing perfect chakra control needed for medical iryojutsu. He was also taught by his sister’s daught Touka in genjutsu. Just as Touka took the time to spar with Kawarama, hashirama, and Tobirama.
Batsumu wasn’t like the elders and forbade women from being shinobi. But he definitely made it harder for them to become one because he knew from his wife Rikona how strong a woman must be to stand with the men.
Touka had been trained by Rikona and the teen girl missed her aunt just as much as the woman’s own kids.
When the Uzumaki came to visit to discuss renewal of their Clan Alliance, Hashirama was chosen to have a betrothal with one of Ashina’s daughters. During the month that the Uzumaki stayed, Hashirama got along the easiest with one of the middle daughters Mito. The betrothal contract was set, signed and sealed.
But during this time, Tobirama had made friends with Mito and her little sister Mira. Batsumu wondered about a secondary betrothal, but agreed with Ashina that it could be a back up if Hashirama and Mito didn’t work out.
With that though, came the reports of how quick tobirama had picked up sealing from the two Uzumaki’s.
So, it was then added that during the winters when Mito came to the Senju to spend time with her future husband, she would also be Tobirama’s tutor. Her sister would also tag along for when Mito was busy, Mira would be Tobirama’s teacher.
~
Tobirama was eight, away on an infiltration and stealth mission in River country. The mission went on without a hitch. The data was collected, evidence planted, and he was never detected.
But he returned home and he’d been trying to sense out Kawarama since he got within Senju Compound range. But his brother wasn’t home. He knew his otouto had started courier missions, but those were never too far from their lands.
Tobirama walked through the gate, and felt the grimness in the guards’ chakra. Panic coiled in his chest and he jogged a bit faster home. Entering the house, he heard it first. Itama’s wailing. Tobirama rushed to his brother and saw hashirama holding itama while their father talked to some of his generals about arranging the funeral.
Cold brown eyes turned at Tobirama’s arrival.
“Tobirama. Good, settle your brother down. He’s being loud. He’ll be a shinobi soon and shinobi don’t cry, especially when a comrade is lost honorably in battle.”
Tobirama stared at his father, holding together his mask of blankness. He’d built it to stop the pity looks. He’d built it first to ignore the sneers that called him a wild thing when his mother was still with him. He kept his mask especially after his mother passed, knowing he didn’t have her protection anymore. He made sure they thought they couldn’t hurt him with his words.
But never did Tobirama think he’d have to use his mask around his dad.
“Yes…Father.” Tobirama whispered obediently and went to Itama’s balled up form, trying to not look at the tiny body under the white sheet, seeing the splotches of blood, sensing the emptiness where life should be.
Picking up his baby brother, Tobirama walked out feeling Hashirama follow him until they were in Tobirama’s room. Niko, kiku and Tala perked up from his nest of furs. The three brothers piled into a cuddle pile and fell asleep there. In the morning Tobirama learned from Hashirama what happened.
Determination filled Tobirama. He would not let his last baby brother die. He agreed with Hashirama’s idea of a peaceful village, even if he thought his brother was a bit blind to the world. Such a dream wouldn’t happen without some sort of sacrifice.
~
Determined to never lose another brother, Tobirama trained Itama harsher than ever. He delved deeper into chakra theory, jutsu creation, science, biology, and anything he could get his tiny hands on. His father approved and even brought over a full time Fuuinjutsu teacher to supervise and of Tobirama’s experiments in that department.
He created even better Iryo Ninjutsu for their medics based off of Hashirama’s awakened Mokuton from the previous year. He helped Itama and Touka create higher and higher leveled Genjutsu.
He sharpened his body, his mind, his chakra to be a weapon. His father was proud.
…
Hashirama grew distant the more father seemed to train him and let him focus on his Hatake instincts. Instincts that made him a sharper blade than any standard Senju. Training that took the pressure off Hashirama so he could keep having fun. Pressure that stayed off Itama so he could stay a medic.
Tobirama wasn’t stupid though. He felt it the first time Hashirama slipped away, and being the paranoid and protective brother he was, he slipped away to follow him.
Trained by Leopards, tobirama was just as stealthy as a cat. Having perfect control over his chakra meant that he wasn’t noticed unless he wanted to be.
Meaning following Hashirama was a cinch.
The first time, hashirama just balled his eyes out about Kawarama, and Tobirama’s chest constricted. He wished he had time to grieve. But he was more determined to protect the brothers he had left. He still visited Kawarama’s grave often, but trained to not lose anymore brothers.
Knowing how absent minded his brother could be, Tobirama followed him the next time Hashirama escaped. Batsumu looked at Tobirama at the end of his training and sighed.
“Where is he going?”
“To the river to train.” Tobirama lied smoothly. He didn’t need to let his father know Hashirama was only there grieving.
“Good. Keep following him to make sure nothing happens. That’s too close to Uchiha territory for my liking and we are still at war with them.”
“Yes Father.” Tobirama bowed and disappeared in a shunshin to follow hashirama once more.
Instead, Tobirama perked up when…when a practical star arrived at the river before hashirama did. By the time he caught up, slowler to not be noticed and caught, Hashirama was already laughing and teasing the other older boy.
While one part of his brain recognized the telltale features of the Uchiha, something his father trained him mercilessly in, the other part of his brain just….melted. The boy…Madara, had such lovely chakra. Tobirama had never felt something so pleasant, warm, and encompassing. He wanted to sink into the boy’s chakra and never leave. It reminded him of being curled up with his pack in front of the hearth’s fire during the cold winter nights. Fire warmed fur, smoke and ash, and enough heat to sink into his skin, but never burn….It felt like home.
Tobirama wanted to whine when Madara flailed wildly and that chakra flashed with such honest emotions, unlike hashirama who did it for fun and to get out of doing his duties.
Tobirama loyaly stayed by his Aniki, but his focus was no longer on his brother. And when the meetings continued week after week, Tobirama never failed to just sink into that hearths chakra and finally feel the ache in his chest recede. He hadn’t noticed it had gotten so big after his mother’s and brother’s death.
~
Tobirama always wondered why Hashirama didn’t tell him that he’d made a friend. Didn’t he trust tobirama? They were brothers. He’d never snitch on him to father that he’d made a new friend. Possible Uchiha or not.
He tried to talk to hashirama once about his disappearances. Hashirama had whined and thrown a fit and changed the subject. Not before Tobirama had felt his mild panic and fear, emotions that sliced tobirama’s heart.
Hashirama escaped from talking to his otouto about his disappearances, thus, missing the new and safer meeting schedule for him and his secret friend Tobirama had made.
The Albino just shoved it away in his journal with a sigh. He was not hurt….he wasn’t, stop looking at him like that Itama. His otouto dragged him into a cuddle pile and did what he could to heal the hurt.
~
It all came to an end six months later. Tobirama was curled up high in a tree near the river bank, listening to Madara’s addictive laughter as he soaked in the teen’s chakra. They were talking about their dream village again. The Albino Senju might have fallen in love with the Uchiha even more over the months. And not just because of his chakra, but because of his passion for his family and Clan. Not to mention Madara loved with everything in his being.
Tobirama wished he could be the focus of that attention. His own clan still believed he was a bad omen. It hadn’t helped that every winter since he’d been born had been filled with blizzard after blizzard, making survival harder and harder until Tobirama had taken his mother’s teachings and made his first hunts after her death.
Tobirama was jerked from his daze in Madara’s chakra when a new sparking and burning chakra entered and neared his range. Sneaking their way to the embankment. Tobirama’s stomach dropped. The concealed chakra saw madara and hashirama together before turning and fleeing for where he’d come from. Tobirama stayed there, tense, but no adults came….but that didn’t guarantee they wouldn’t the next time.
The boys agreed to meet in three days like normal, irresponsibly increasing their meeting times the last two months.
Tobirama raced back.
Three days later, he grabbed Hashirama’s wrist at the compound border.
“Don’t go Anija.” He whispered sternly, hiding his fear.
Hashirama stared at him. “He’s my best friend. I’m not going to ignore him and abandon him. I’m the only one that understands him.”
Tobirama wanted to scream! What about him! what about itama! Doesn’t hashirama think they’d want peace too? But he never told them about his dreams!
“Don’t, please Anija.” Hashirama didn’t realize that would be the last time he’d be addressed as such.
Hashirama frowned and ripped his arm away. “You aren’t the boss of me. Go back to being Father’s favorite soldier.”
Tobirama jerked back hurt. Hashirama ran, and so did tobirama.
Father was not pleased to have learned Tobirama had lied to him.
“He was training.” he tried. Batsumu’s eyes narrowed.
“With the enemy. You will be punished when we get back with your brother.” The Clan head stormed out and called up a squad of his best and with Tobirama at his father’s side, they headed for the embankment.
Minutes later they came face to face with Tajima Uchiha, Madara, and Izuna uchiha along with a squad of Uchiha.
Somewhere tobirama was relieved. He’d done what was right. Hashirama couldn’t take on six adults and two blooded shinobi. He’s protected at least one brother.
That battle not only ended Madara and Hashirama’s friendship, but sparked a rivalry between Izuna and Tobirama. Tobirama had been surprised to find such a skilled fighter in Madara’s brother. Then again, Madara was going to be powerful one day like Hashirama was shaping up to be. It was only right that Izuna was strong too.
Back at the Main house, Hashirama took the first punch to his face before Tobirama had sensed it. The next one, tobirama took and Batsumu glared at him. Tobirama doesn’t remember too much of what Hashirama and Batsumu shouted, his head was still ringing too much.
He did remember when his father took him to his study and stripped him of his shirt.
“A lash for every lie you told me.” Batsumu said firmly. Tobirama’s spine straightened and his shout of pain was quickly silenced to grit teeth as the countless other lashes of the leather strap bit into his back. Tobirama was bloody, broken, and whimpering through his back being on fire and feeling torn to shreds. He absently remembers Touka being the one to find him unconscious and taken to the healing hall.
Tobirama was dismissed from the following weeks of training. He could sense that instead Hashirama was beaten into the ground and forced to stand back up. His accelerated healing a curse for once. Father was not gentle and Hashirama never escaped lessons again as batsumu had three of his best warriors training him harder and harder.
Tobirama tried to talk to hashirama between trainings once he was healed enough to move again, offering to cuddle with his pack, but Hashirama just ignored both him and Itama.
Tobirama lied to himself once more that his ignorance and avoidance didn’t hurt. Itama called him a liar. Touka offered to kick some sense into the treehead. Tobirama instead had Touka join their cuddle piles after hard days of training. She was more than gleeful.
~
In the Years following the River Incident, more and more skirmishes picked up. Tobirama had been blooded on the battlefield the same year Hashirama had been.
Hashirama just thirteen and Tobirama freshly nine, almost as tall as his brother because of his senju/hatake genes giving him an early growth spurt. Since then, Tobirama’s reputation as the Senju ghost grew and grew from his missions.
Quiet, Deadly, and precise. The Senju’s top assassin. His own clan members began calling him Batsumu’s attack dog. A Demon. A Cold Blooded killer. Itama and Touka were the only two to really stick by his side.
Hashirama had settled down, but never really looked at tobirama the same after the River incident…possible even before, but if he admitted that, then Tobirama might just break.
But it was when Tobirama was eleven that his world Shattered.
His range had increased through training and the growth of his reserves. He could feel the to Uchiha compound and even further. He’d been grateful because that meant he could soak in Madara’s chakra whenever he wanted. Even if it was dangerous to do so around his father who’d only grown angrier and bitter….but Tobirama could also see the heartwrenching grief in his father’s eyes when he looked at Tobirama.
It was due to his increased range though that Tobirama felt the first spikes of soul deep terror in Itama’s chakra as it flared so very very far away.
Tobirama cut himself off in the middle of reporting about his own mission to his father. He cut through the house and through his room. His mother’s tanto was in his hand a second later, and his leopards were leaping out the secondary window with him and his snarled order.
He raced past the guards, out through the territory, but kept his focus on his baby brother’s chakra as it ran from the five man adult uchiha squad on his brother’s tail. Why was Itama out!? He was a medic! They were already short on medics! Why would father- He whined when he felt a deep cut slashed through Itama’s side.
He sprinted even faster with his chakra pushing the limits of his trained speed and stamina. He needed to make it. He needed to protect his baby brother. Mother had made him promise to protect him.
Terror filled his soul when itama stopped moving, anguish wrenched his heart as he felt every stab of pain, even breaking bone as the men torture a child, glee in their chakra. Fury washed through him, enhanced by his grief, as he subconsciously realized he wasn’t going to make it. He felt Itama’s lifeforce flickering away just as he arrived and pushed his hatake chakra through his tanto and sliced two heads completely off before twisting the blood -blood had so much water in it, why didn’t he think of this before? Ah, Itama told him not too when he’d mentioned if it was possible to use it- with his chakra and sending it after another man.
He snarled as he landed and was able to get in a few slices, took two of his own, before covered his free hand in wind chakra and disemboweled him. Red eyes looked for the fifth man, but he could feel the uchiha man fleeing back towards Uchiha territory. They were in no-mans land, it wouldn’t be hard to catch him.
A pained whine, pulled Tobirama from his blood haze and he zipped to his otouto’s side and choked on his sobs at the sight of his baby brother.
“Bi-nii.” Itama whispered childishly. “I’m scared.” He said even as blood leaked from his mouth.
Tobirama whined and tried to force his already depleted chakra to heal his baby brother. But he’d just come from a mission, just pushed his body to the limits to get there, to use a new jutsu he’d only theorized, used his white chakra for the tanto.
“It’s okay..It’s okay….” He whispered as a mantra, green chakra shaking as he tried to heal the worst of Itama’s wounds and failing.
“Nii-san…sing mama’s song?” Tobirama barely heard the plea and swallowed down his howls of pain. Instead, he shakily sang their mother’s lullaby. Feeling as his brother’s chakra slipped away, seeing those Hatake silver eyes close to never open again.
Tobirama just closed his eyes and finished the lullaby even as he pulled his baby brother into his arms and rocked him, tears slipped down his blood stained face.
Tobirama didn’t remember how he got home. He was just…numb. He came to, to the feel of Niko, Tala, and kiku as he was in his nest of furs. He felt another warm body and at first thought it was Hashirama. When the rest of his senses turned on, his nose and chakra senses revealed that Touka was the one holding him.
He was ashamed that he’d even dissociated from Itama’s funeral. He didn’t know how he’d given a report to his father. He…He was tired of thinking. He closed his eyes and searched out Madara’s chakra, losing himself in the only thing that reminded him of when his mother and baby brothers were still alive and warm around him.
~
Years passed in a blur around Tobirama. He no longer lived, he just…survived. Especially after his final mistake of attempting to bring his baby brothers back. No one knew of that mistake except Touka who’d found him afterwards.
Touka, Mito, and his pack did their best, but no one knew what else to do to help their Snow Cat.
Not only did he have a reputation within his own clan for being a cold heartless demon, but even outside of it, it had spread. Tobirama didn’t particularly care, if it was another threat that protected his clan, all the better. He didn’t need friends. (he had no time to be upset when Mira stopped writing to him. Mito was ashamed of her sister for believing silly rumors.) He had his pack and sisters. (He also had Madara’s chakra and both women knew how much he loved the Uchiha from afar. They did what they could to cover up any slips he had when helping the uchiha clan. Even if the Clan hated him because there were times when he had no choice. Otherwise he’d only cut to injure and remove from the war/mission. (they didn’t need to know that he was the one to constantly rescue and send the kidnapped Uchiha children back to their clan. The children had sworn to not tell anyone. Or at least the only one that had accidentally seen his face. All the others knew was that he had red eyes and long white lashes.))
(Back in the Uchiha compound little toddler Kagami continued to praise his favorite person, Usagi-nii, even if he was more stubborn than anyone else and refused to tell who his savior was.)
Five long years, and the Senju and Uchiha still warred.
Five years and Tobirama was an outcast within his own clan. No matter how much he hunted for them in the winter. No matter how safe they were because of his sensing range, his organization and position as Commanding General, second to only their Clan Head Hashirama. (And didn’t that punch Tobirama in the gut. His father was sick and dying and there was nothing! Any of his jutsu could do. He tried and tried and tried, but father wasn’t getting better and Hashirama stopped healing him.)
Tobirama stared at the fresh grave of his father, laying beside his mother and wanted to cry. Yet no tears came. He ignored the whispers of his clansmen and women saying he shouldn’t be there. He was heartless afterall. Hashirama didn’t spare him any words other than a long term mission in Kumo.
Tobirama hated Kumo. Almost as much as he hated Suna. Suna was too hot and not enough water. Kumo was too damn cold for him and his natural affinity, despite his ability to use the other four and Yin-yang release. Not to mention the scars he still bore from his attempts at experimenting with the eight gates.
Tobirama sucked it up and took the mission anyways. If it was one less dangerous mission for his other teen Clansmen to take, then so be it. He was still determined to protect his clan.
~
Tobirama’s mission was completed. It wasn’t easy, but it hadn’t been the worst mission he’d been sent on. The only issue was that it had lasted too bloody long. It was now winter further south where Fire Nation was. Which meant he was still fucking Cold. Now tobirama knew how to survive in the cold, but it didn’t mean he liked it anymore because of that fact.
He ran beside Niko, Kiku and Tala on top of the snow, leaving no prints like Akira had trained them.
He was passing no-man’s land, still in the sarutobi where the senju had free range, when something in no-man’s land caught his attention.
A spark of chakra. Familiar chakra. Chakra that he’d check on almost as much as he checked on Madara’s.
Tobirama stopped dead, his summons following a pace later.
“Bira?” Niko called on a whisper of the wind.
“Cub.” Tobirama’s head was turned in the direction of Kagami’s signature and took in that…the only Uchiha signature near him was of maybe a teen Uchiha, one younger than Tobirama himself and not equipped to deal with the ten bloodline hunters. “A cub and a Youngling.”
“Are we hunting?” Tala grinned sharply.
“Oh, that doesn’t even need to be answered.” Kiku purred. “Lead the way Bira.”
Tobirama’s eyes narrowed and he bared his hatake sharp teeth. In a shove of chakra he was racing. He may not have been fast enough to save his brothers, but he had earned the name as one of the fastest shinobi of most of the Nations. He’d take that title completely once he was done the Hiraishin. He only had a few more test runs on that particular experiment.
“We’ll have to make this quick.” Niko noted sniffing the air. “A strong storm is coming. Snag the cub and Youngling and then take cover.”
“Noted.” Tobirama grunted. It was only minutes later that Tobirama appeared in the snowy air, white tanto glowing as it swung for the first head.
Now, Tobirama was a bit of a clean freak. Only because he worked daily with dangerous materials. Not only that, but it was rude to leave a mess when making an assassination. Also much harder to track who was responsible if every piece of evidence was gone.
The exception to Tobirama’s rule? Bloodline thieves.
No sooner was the head severed from the first man, tanto gutting the second, but his free hand was opened towards a third and with his chakra and will alone, the man’s blood exploded from his body, curled in the air like a worm before forming a Blood Dragon from the other two dead bodies.
The clearing came to a frozen horror standstill.
Tobirama saw the bruise on Kagami’s cheek in his glance to see if the cub was alright, and he saw RED!
The Dragon roared and tore through the hunters while Tobirama fought the ones not being eaten alive by the dragon, proving more blood for the dragon with every death and cut.
Finally, the last body dropped and Tobirama released the dragon after pulling all the blood off his clothes.
Turning to the preteen uchiha and uchiha child, he looked them over with his eyes and chakra. Looking for hidden injuries.
“Are you injured?” He asked the teen and Cub.
The preteen just kneeled there holding Kagami with wide sharingan eyes. Tobirama internally winced. He hoped he hadn’t traumatized the kid too bad.
“My cheek.” Kagami muttered and pointed to it.
Tobirama felt his lip twitch. He could see the little spit fire wanting to dance around about how cool he was. The child had done it as a four year old, and he could still feel that he did it as a six year old.
Nodding, Tobirama carefully approached and then surprised the preteen. He flipped his tanto and handed it to the preteen.
“If you think i’m going to harm the cub here, you can stab me.”
Shakily the preteen took the tanto and held it at Tobirama’s neck, even if it shook in the kid’s hand.
Tobirama gave a small smile to the preteen. “Good.” Red eyes turned to Kagami and narrowed. “What did you do cub, to get that?”
Kagami looked away. Tobirama sighed and reached forward with soft green chakra coating his hand. He cupped Kagami’s injured cheek and healed the bruising and small fracture. He finished a moment later and turned to the preteen. “And you?”
The tanto lowered. “My left arm.” The boy whispered. Tobirama nodded and ruffled his hair before letting his chakra pass over the kid’s bleeding head and then his left arm where he had a nasty gash. Wide sharingan eyes just watched skin knit together.
By then the snow had started picking up.
“What are your names?” Tobirama asked softly.
“Kagami!”
“Ken…Kenshin.”
“He’s my aniki just like Hikaku-nii!” Kagami explained.
“Step brothers actually.” Kenshin corrected a bit dazed and terrified still, but slowly settling down…well until three leopards showed up out of nowhere.
“Bira.” One purred. “We hunted down their contact group that was nearing.”
“Thank you Niko.” Tobirama butted his head and copied it for the twins Tala and Kiku. “Did you perhaps find a cave nearby? We won’t make it to the Uchiha Compound before the storm really hits.”
“Yes. follow us.”
Tobirama nodded and looked at the two Uchihas. “Can you run?”
“Hai!” Kagami jumped up beaming. “Madara-shishou taught me tree climbing too!”
Tobirama chuffed amused and ruffled Kagami’s curly hair. “Well done cub.”
“I..I can run.” Kenshin stuttered.
Tobirama met his red eyes with his own. “You tell me immediately when you need rest.”
“H-hai.” He whispered.
Nodding Tobirama turned to his leopards. “Lead the way, pace for the Cub and Youngling.”
The trio of felines purred and turned into a steady lope. Tobirama took the rear and kept an eye on the kids.
The cave was still an hour away at the kids’ pace when Kagami stopped on a branch with a whine. The group paused, and before Kenshin could turn around to pick up his brother, Tobirama had already done so.
“Keep going.” He told the preteen who just stared at the sighed of the feared White demon, pulling his fur ruffle off and covering the shivering Kagami in it. “Kenshin, move it.” Tobirama’s voice was a hair sharper and the uchiha jolted into movement. The leopards continued to lead them at a slightly faster pace, all while the snow came down faster and thicker and Kenshin was freezing! Why couldn’t he have listened to hikaku-nii about how to regulate his chakra to stay warm?
He was so distracted that he didn’t notice when he was scooped up in a cloak and held against the White Demon’s chest. Wide eyes, finally black looked to the White Senju. He spotted his baby brother asleep against his back and the white fur over him, yet how?
“He’s stuck with my chakra. You’re trembling and cannot heat yourself up.” Tobirama noted.
“Ii-i-i-i didn’t l-l-l-listen to n-ni-ni-nii-san about cir—circulating c-c-c-chakra.”
Tobirama rolled his red eyes and chuffed again. “It wouldn’t matter. Your earlier Sharingan activity drained your reserves. That and i’m guessing any jutsu you threw out to stop the hunters.”
Kenshin nodded pouting around his shivering body.
“Almost there.” Tobirama’s voice was a soft promise and kenshin just nodded, tucking his face into the white demon’s neck. He just knew no one would believe him when he told them.
Tobirama was quick to set the kids down and get to work. Once they were bundled together, he cleaned the cave and set up the barrier to hold back the worst of the storm. Pulling out his winter supply scroll, he unpacked a thick futon and laid it down. Firewood was next, and a few fire jutsu later and the wood caught and warmed up the cave. He unsealed more blankets and even spare clothes. They’d be too big for the kids, but it would give time for their own clothes to dry.
Tobirama made sure to also set up a cooking spit and dump in some of his presealed and dry soup stock with prepared vegetables and meat. Cauldron set over the fire, He pulled water from the air and their clothes and dumped it in the pot. Letting the soup cook, he turned to the two staring boys.
“Strip.” He ordered and held out the clean dry clothes. “We’re soaked to the bone and our old clothes will only make us sick.”
The kids took their clothes and tobirama turned to the side. He was quick to undress and use a mild genjutsu to cover his modesty. He kept his eyes on the cave wall as the two boys quickly changed.
“Uhh..Senju-san, we’re done.” Kenshin stuttered. Tobirama turned and stared. His clothes were big on Kenshin and Kagami was swimming in his shirt and holding up the pants with his hands.
Tobirama snickered a little, not noticing Kenshin’s eyes widening. “Come here cubs, i’ll adjust the clothes.” He said, amusement clear in his voice. Kagami didn’t hesitate to hop to the albino and then stand still as Tobirama used a kunai to cut off the extra and use the strips of fabric as a belt. Copying it with Kenshin a moment later. He slipped warm socks onto their feet, and wrapped their hands in the extra fabric to keep the boys warm.
Picking up Kagami he headed for the futon and settled down with the cub wrapped in his arms, kenshin joining a moment later.
“We’ll need to wait for food to finish and for my summons to dry out before they’ll join us.” He told the boys and chuffed at Kenshin and dragged him closer. The preteen squeaked before sighing when he was suddenly encased by warmth. “I’m not fire natured, but i can circulate fire chakra long enough to chase away the chill.”
“Thank you Tobirama-san.” Kagami beamed.
“Hm. Rest. I’m sure you two are tired. I’ll keep watch and wake you for food.”
Kenshin didn’t notice when he fell asleep against the Senju, nor when he barely woke to eat and fall right back asleep, this time sharing the lap of the tall senju. Kenshin felt like purring underneath Tobirama’s chakra cocoon. It felt like soaking in the perfect bathwater. Hot, but not burning. Soothing, comforting, and relaxing all at once.
Neither cub noticed when they were using the senju as a pillow and then surrounded by three warm purring leopards.
By morning the boys were well rested and warm. Their clothes were dry and clean and Tobirama already had breakfast for them. Kenshin stayed mostly quiet, but observant as Kagami really went wild on the senju and started asking question after question.
Kenshin himself was starting to wonder about the rumors and whispers he’d heard from his younger cousins and clansmen. Kagami especially had been a force when anyone tried to tell him his Hero Usagi-nii wasn’t real. Other kids around his age all agreed that Usagi-nii was the best and the coolest, but Kenshin hadn’t understood. Well until he’d chased after his brother who’d slipped from his hand in the nearby civilian market only to be kidnapped. Now, they were with the one person Hikaku-nii told them to never approach. Yet…yet he’d saved them, and Kenshin was starting to think they weren’t the first children the White senju has saved before.
Tobirama was so very patient with all of Kagami’s questions. Even Nii-san and Izu-nii and Madara-sama were never so patient. Even Ka-san got tired of Kagami’s never ending questions.
But Tobirama-san just sat there with that tiny little smile, looking pleased and…happy. Kenshin felt his cheeks pinken. Tobirama-san was very very pretty when he smiled. And boy did Kenshin see his real smile. Kagami had told a story about Madara-shishou having enough of Izuna-nii’s brattiness and threw him in the koi pond a few weeks ago. All because he hadn’t gotten to fight Tobirama.
“I love Izu-nii but i don’t like he when he says he wants to kill you Bira-nii.” Kagami slipped and slapped his hands over his mouth. Wide eyes shot to Kenshin who was beside them curled up with the leopard Tala.
“I already figured out who your Usagi-nii was otouto.” Kenshin huffed and rolled his eyes. “I won’t tell.”
“Really!” Kagami beamed.
“Sure, if he can teach us that circulation trick so we won’t be cold again.”
Tobirama chuffed amused. “I can help you two learn the jutsu, its more of a chakra control technique than Jutsu though.”
And thus the time slipped away as the blizzard raged outside. It was one of the worst seen blizzards in years though and lasted three days. Yet neither Uchiha boy ever went cold or hungry as Tobirama passed the time with teaching them jutsu, theory, and even telling a few stories at Kagami’s request.
“I don’t know any true stories…. But i know a few ballads my mother used to sing to me. They belonged to her birth Clan, the Hatake.”
“Can you sing some Bira-nii?” kagami puppy eyed up at the albino, and even kenshin tried to join in. Tobirama just chuffed that small amused sound that kenshin loved to hear just as much as kagami did.
“Settle in close cubs.” he murmured and the kids did as told, the leopards huddling closer to keep warm and listen.
Tobirama started off with a note that practically was a low purr before it rose up and he started to softly sing. Kenshin and Kagami were entranced by his voice. His tenor voice was ethereal and mesmerizing as he wove a tail of wild deer, winter woods, a hunting wolf pack, and the joy of a coming of age hunt as a youngling became an adult.
“You have a nice voice.” Kenshin whispered still so enraptured. Tobirama sent him that very beautiful smile again.
“Thank you.”
“One more Bira-nii?” Kagami yawned, rubbing his eyes.
“One more.” Tobirama nodded and settled Kagami against his chest as he leaned against Niko. Kenshin settled into his side, enjoying the Senju’s comforting chakra even as those long fingers combed through his hair and gently scratched his scalp in a soothing and rhythmic pace. Kenshin’s own eyes were heavy before the lullaby even began.
Tobirama’s heart hurt, but he still sang his mother’s lullaby. He continued even after he’d felt the two cubs chakra settle into sleep. His mind was drifting back to the days when it was Kawarama and Itama that were curled up with him as their mother sang them to sleep. Hashirama had joined many times, but never as consistently as Tobirama wished he’d join. So busy with growing his gardens or playing with cousins or pulled into trainings by father.
Tobirama let himself settle down into sleep with his chakra split between soaking in the two sparks against him and soaking in Madara’s back in the compound.
“Bira-nii, what is the Senju compound like?” Kagami asked innocently the next morning. The storm was still harsh but tobirama could sense it weakening. It should be finished by that evening.
“Kagami!” Kenshin hissed worried.
“He’s allowed to ask.” Tobirama said evenly. “Strict. Traditional.” Tobirama answered and tilted his head trying to think about his family and clan. “People are very tired of the war, but to them it’s easier to stay warring than try for peace.”
“Okay, but like you’re a really good teacher! Do you have any students?”
Tobirama went stiff and looked at the piece of wood he was carving absently since he couldn’t work on his experiments with two kids near constantly asking questions. “No…I…I make people nervous…among other things. Parents keep their kids away from me. Touka-nee has tried to get me students. I get to train them for a few days before their parents come back and take them away.” He said stiffly. He’d sworn to never lie to children. So no matter how much it hurt to admit it, he did.
“That’s not nice.” Kagami frowned. “You’re a great teacher!”
“Kagami’s right.” Kenshin was also frowning.
Tobirama shrugged and didn’t look at them. “I am strong…too strong to some. I take all the assassination missions and other missions that require a lot of killing.”
A part of kenshin wanted to be scared, but something didn’t seem right-
“Why?” Kagami asked.
Those red eyes looked up at them and they were soft. “So my younger clansmen don’t have to take them.” he whispered, and Kenshin was shook. Tobirama looked away. “It built my reputation as the Senju Ghost, the White Demon. Both titles protect my clan where Hashirama’s doesn’t.”
(Kenshin may be only twelve almost thirteen, but he was smart. He noted how Hikaku’s constant battle pair was spoke with a familiar suffix. But the man’s actual brother was not.)
“No doubt, if any of your clansmen had seen how i took care of your attackers they would give me another name.” he observed absently.
“I like Usagi better!” Kagami stood up. “You’re warm and soft like one, and you look like the white rabbit Hikaku-nii caught once!”
“Or Dragon.” Kenshin muttered and Kagami lit up.
“That’s right! You do those amazing water dragons! You even made one out of those mean guy’s blood!”
Tobirama winced. “I’m sorry you two had to see such things-”
“It was actually pretty badass.” Kenshin smirked and watched as those pale cheeks turned a bit pink. “Terrifying still, but the good kind of terrifying?”
Tobirama chuckled a little sadly but gave them a tiny smile. “Thank you, not many compliment my skills in a positive light.”
“Why?” Kagami frowned.
“I’m not liked in my own Clan Kagami. My reputation has never been good in their eyes. Being more Hatake in nature than Senju…is off putting to them. There are times when i let my instincts rule and they can’t process my wilder side so they fear it instead.”
“But your brother must love you and stop any talk against you.” Kenshin said. “All anija’s love their brothers no matter what.”
Tobirama’s eyes shot down to the carving and didn’t answer.
“Bira-nii?” Kagami asked softly, tiny hand touching his arm.
“I am Hashirama’s right hand, his sword. He points, i attack.” Tobirama whispered. “When Hashirama slacks on Clan paperwork, i do as father trained me, and step up to make sure the clan keeps running with none the wiser. Hashirama has our famed Mokuton. He is the strength of the senju, their hope. I have to make sure he is protected at all times.” He repeated aloud.
Kenshin and Kagami may just be kids, but they knew….that wasn’t right. The two boys shared looks and came to an agreement. They were adopting the white dragon as their own. Hikaku-nii would make sure Madara-sama made it official.
“There must be someone there for you.” Kenshin prodded gently.
“Touka-nee.” He huffed and eyed the boys. “Your brother’s rival.”
“Izu-nii wants to fight her so he can stare at her muscles.” Kenshin grinned. “Hikaku-nii won’t let him because it will get him killed. Plus, Nii-san says he is not strong enough to face you alone.”
“Not true.” Tobirama grunted. “Touka is just as strong as I am, she just doesn’t have my control over water. Her genjutsu are stronger than mine.”
Kenshin shrugged amused. “Thus Izuna-nii’s most recent trips into the Koi pond.”
Tobirama chuckled and then handed what he’d been working on over to Kagami. The boy took the figurine and beamed. It was a dragon curled around two cubs.
“Coooool~” Kagami whispered enraptured.
“Would you like one Kenshin-kun?” The preteen nodded eagerly. Tobirama smiled and went to work on the next palm sided hunk of wood he’d set aside.
As he worked the two boys asked for story after story about some of his missions that weren’t assassinations and even learned about some of his humiliating ones. They watched the feared white demon groan and face palm and blush and be…human. Not the scary boogyman the adults made him to be.
Kagami even got him talking about tobirama’s childhood. Enchanted once more by stories of Rikona Hatake.
“Mother was everything to me.” the albino smiled sadly. “She taught me everything i know when it comes to being a hunter of the wild. I was only a few weeks old when she took me out in the middle of a snow storm to hunt for the clan. She had this jacket that was thick yet didn’t prevent her movements. And it was designed to hold everything from a newborn to a toddler on her back. The hood was furr trimmed and the inner lining was just as soft and warm. I was never cold as a child with mother around. She even made my own coat and i wore it until i out grew it. Now…” He pet the pelt around his shoulder. “I salvaged it into this. It was made from her summon’s shed fur. Special seals used to glue the fur onto a moose hide. It’s one of the last things i have of her.”
Kiku sat up and licked Tobirama’s cheek. “Oka-san still misses Rikona, but she knows her summoner would be proud of you, Bira.”
“Thank you.” He butted heads with her affectionately.
Finally, the following morning, the storm had broken and the skies were clear with the morning’s sunrise.
The Senju and Two Uchiha had just finished packing up their camp when kagami was picked up and distracted from his task of looking for any trash. Instead his arms were lifted and something extremely soft and warm and a little baggy was settled over him. His head popped through even as a belt was tied around his waist, keeping the coat from hanging too far down. Tobirama then pulled the hood up over his head, and wide black eyes just stared up at him.
“But i thought yours…”Kagami looked to the white fur, before startling to see his coat wasn’t white with faint grey spots. His was…white and faded into black with grey spots.
“This was my baby brother’s Parka. What my mother wore was called an amauti.” Kagami looked up at his White Dragon confused. “I wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t strong enough, and i didn’t know enough healing jutsu to save my baby brother Itama, from the child hunters.”
Kenshin’s eyes widened, remembering one of Tajima’s elder cousins laughing up a storm about taking out one of Batsumu’s sons.
“Yet twice now i was able to save you Kagami. Somewhere i know Itama would want you to have this, to remind me that I am strong enough to save those dear to me. So be sure to take care of it.” Tobirama rested his forehead against Kagami’s. “One day…there will be peace between our clans, cub. When that day comes, Will you honor me with being my student?”
Kagami’s eyes watered and suddenly his sharingan spun to life for the first time as he was overwhelmed with happiness and elation. “Yes!” He cried out and launched at Tobirama for a hug. Tobirama hugged him in return and nuzzled curly black hair before pulling the hood back up.
“Little bit of Chakra will keep the hood in place, cub.” He chuffed amused. Kagami stuck his tongue out and concentrated but beamed when the hood stayed in place.
“Now hop on. Your mother and brother have been worried sick.” Kagami was quick to hop onto the Senju’s back and Tobirama held out his arms to the preteen Uchiha. Kenshin smiled and went into the senju’s arms willingly. The man then pulled out a large cloak with furr lining and wrapped them all in it. Only the hood allowing their heads to see out.
Nodding once to his summons, the White Dragon took off towards the Uchiha compound.
Kenshin once more noticed that even after they crossed into Uchiha territory, Tobirama never ran into a patrol.
“Sensor.” Tobirama answered his whispered inquiry.
Within an hour they were silently leaping over the Compound walls and landing in the backyard of their own home hidden by nothing.
Kenshin slipped out of the cloak and helped Tobirama put kagami who’d fallen asleep onto his own back.
The preteen looked to the man that was fondly petting his step brother’s hair with longing.
“You should stay.” Kenshin said boldly. “I may not be strong, but i can be convincing. We’ll make sure you’re always warm and happy. You’ll get to be Kagami’s teacher sooner-”
Tobirama placed his hand on Kenshin’s head and smiled so very sadly.
“My duty is to my clan.”
“A clan that doesn’t appreciate how amazing you are!” kenshin barked loudly, starling kagami awake.
Tobirama sighed and ruffled his hair a little rough and kenshin whined.
“I still love them.” Tobirama smiled sadly before the back door slammed open and there stood their mother with wide sharingan eyes. Kenshin snapped around with Kagami almost losing his balance off his back.
“Senju-” she choked, but TObirama just stood and sent her a deep bow.
“Your sons suffered nothing from the storm. Apologies, but i must be off.” Then in a flurry of wind and kickedup snow, the Senju disappeared in a shunshin.
“Mama!” Kagami cried out elated and Mikoto was too stunned to do anything but catch her youngest and hug him tight. Kenshin joined a moment later and she let her worried tears out into their hair, quickly checking them over and listening as her boys told about their trip to town with hikaku-nii and getting separated and then kidnapped and then lost and then found by the kidnappers and chased until tobirama swooped in and saved them with a bloody dragon that was so COOL!
Kenshin calmly talking about how the White Demon sheltered them, fed them, provided them with clothing and lessons to pass the time.
Mikoto couldn’t believe it. Yet…her youngest was wrapped up in a parka known to be worn by the hatake in winter.
She took Kagami into her arms and told her middle son to follow her. Jogging through the paths recently cleared in their compound, she rushed for her once home, and now her Nephews’ home.
“Madara! Izuna!” She shouted and when the doors opened, sharingan eyes widened on the two boys. They were rushed into the Clan House and the two boys were looked over once again. Kagami whined and Kenshin sighed annoyed even as their frantic mother told the Clan Head and Heir about the White demon just casually dropping her sons off. Hikaku stumbled in from where he too had been visited by the White senju and had only been told his brothers were safe and returned.
The two boys once more told their story, sharingans telling the truth.
“This doesn’t make sense Aniki.” Izuna grunted put out. “Why would that cold bastard save two of our own? He’s a cold blooded killer”
Madara sighed and was rubbing his aching eyes. “I don’t know Izuna.”
Hikaku though was still listening to Kagami prattle on and on about his new Dragon-sensei and when were they making peace. He wanted to be trained by dragon-sensei so he could make dragons! Maybe he’d even be allowed to have a leopard to raise like Sensei said he got to do at his age.
“Kagami!” Izuna shouted annoyed with his baby cousin. “Enough! You two were just lucky! That Demon showed you mercy and pity! He isn’t some silly hero from a fairytale! He’ll kill you next time-”
Kagami’s eyes snapped to sharingan surprising all the adults there. “Liar!” The child screamed back. “Bira-nii has saved me before when i followed that fox too far from home!” Tears filled those sharingan eyes as they lazily spun, and his chakra rolled with agitation. “You’re just jealous because Bira-nii trusts me and not you! He likes me and not you! He gave me his precious otouto’s Parka because he likes me Even when it was my Grand-father that killed his last baby brother!”
Everyone sucked in shocked gasps.
“You make him out to be a monster and a demon. Bira-nii is just doing his best to provide for his own Clan. Doing his best to protect them, even when they HATE him for something out of his control!” Kagami tears fell like rivers. “I want Bira-nii here where Kenshin-nii and i can cuddle pile with him. So can hear his stories again, where we can listen to him sing prettily again. Where we can make him smile and protect us with his chakra!”
Kenshin stepped forward and pulled his baby brother into his arms. “That’s enough otouto, let’s take mom home and show her how Tobirama-san taught us to stay warm.”
Kagami sniffled and followed his brother out. Mikoto looking between her sons and nephews conflicted.
“Go on.” Madara said softly. “They’ve been through much as have you. We’ll talk after everyone has settled down.”
Mikoto nodded and left to escort her sons home.
~
Madara sat in his office hours later contemplating Kagami and Kenshin’s reports. He didn’t want to believe his younger cousins, but the evidence was in their healthy forms, the parka, and Mikoto’s and Hikaku’s own eyes that had seen and been spoken to by the White Senju.
Madara…needed more evidence. Maybe….Maybe he could use this. Obviously Hashirama’s way wasn’t doing anything to bring them peace since the log head could never provide enough arguments that the Uchiha elders could accept.
Maybe this…recent incident could at least bring a cease fire between the clans. Winter had already hit early and his Clan would be strapped tight this winter….But one more mouth couldn’t hurt. Maybe holding Tobirama as a ‘guest’ over winter would allow his clan to see what those two kids saw. But it would all depend on the White Senju going along with it.
He needed to do some research before he brought the Senju’s top assassin into the compound.
Hours later, Madara had met with every child that had been mysteriously returned after kidnapped by hunters. After promising that their rescuer wouldn’t be in trouble, the kids were more than happy to talk about their Usagi-nii. Many hadn’t seen his full face, but it was his snow hair, ashes, and red eyes that the kids remembered the most. That and he was always so soft and warm like a bunny.
The two images of the White Senju clashed in Madara’s head. He needed more proof, despite Kagami’s sulking and ignoring of anyone that tried to talk to him into forgetting the Senju.
Madara spent the next month of skirmishes observing the white Senju all while deflecting Hashirama’s wood. His sharingan noticed the younger man’s skill like always, but then…he also noticed openings on his otouto that Tobirama never took. Was Tobirama going easy on Izuna?
By the end of the eighth week of observing the White Senju and digging up a few additional reports of just…how many uchiha’s the man has actually killed…Madara had won his argument against the elders and was ready to present it to the senju.
~
Tobirama was tense as he hovered in the trees on guard as the Patrol that had run across the Uchiha squad that had purposely crossed the river border, held their weapons at the ready. The six man squad just stood there waiting for what? The Senju didn’t know. But their Sharingans were on.
He felt Madara arriving with Hikaku instead of Izuna. Tobirama’s eye twitched in concern, but he could feel that Izuna was alive and healthy if agitated.
Hashirama arrived at the Same time Madara pulsed his chakra and his men stepped back to their side and the Clan Head stood on the river.
“Madara!” Hashirama beamed standing a few feet on the water, but going no closer at Madara’s warning glare. “What’s this about?”
“You want peace, but you have not presented anything that is acceptable to my Clan.” Madara stated bluntly. “My people are tired Hashirama. I propose a trial run of a cease fire with conditions.”
“Of Course! Anything!” Hashirama practically bounced in place even as dread filled Tobirama. He hadn’t told the kids to not tell madara, especially with how he hadn’t really hidden his presence in their compound.
“Your Brother will stay with the Uchiha for a year. That is the condition my elders have accepted. They would like to see if the Senju’s greatest assassin could resist killing his enemies without you around to hold his leash.”
Tobirama flinched in his hiding spot. It…hurt hearing Madara speak about him like that.
Hashirama paused and hummed. “Well, if they are that worried, my wife is a seal mistress and could seal his chakra away.”
Tobirama went cold. Madara paused only a fraction to stare before continuing.
“I want one of our own seal practitioners observing the placement of the seal then.” Madara nodded. “To make sure that he will not be able to do harm.”
“And we’ll have peace?!” Hashirama beamed again.
“We will have a temporary Cease Fire. We will revisit renewing the ceasefire in a year or continuing onto peace, or returning to war depending on the results.”
Hashirama trembled with excitement. “I’ll go get Mito!” He rushed off before Madara could say another word.
“Daichi, get Kijima-dono quickly.” the named shinobi turned and rushed off.
Hikaku stepped up to madara when he returned to their side. “He said nothing of the Senju Ghost.”
“Because Tobirama-san was here long before any of us.” Madara answered and looked around. “It’s faint, but he’s here, hidden.”
The Senju squad shifted awkwardly as the time passed, and soon Hashirama was landing with a redhead in his arms.
“Goodness Hashirama! What i have told you about manhandling me!” She punched him in the stomach and the tree actually bent over with a pained grunt. She huffed and brushed the wrinkles out of her yukata before side eyeing the Uchiha across the river. “Why have you brought me here?”
Madara walked out to the river and was followed by an older man. They stopped once reaching the Senju side.
“Hashirama has agreed to my terms in a cease fire. You will place a seal upon Senju Tobirama and he will then spend a year with the Uchiha as collateral and proof that even the demon of the senju won’t kill the uchiha in an enclosed space without his brother around to hold his collar.”
Mito Uzumaki stared before slowly turning to her smiling husband. “And did you Idiots think to ask Tobirama’s opinion on this?”
“Tobi will accept! It’s for peace!” Hashirama smiled at her. “But I offered to seal him just incase. He does have a temper.”
Madara looked between the oblivious Hashirama and the glaring Mito.
“Redact it Hashirama.” She ordered.
The Treehead looked at her. “Why?”
“They’ll kill him. You did not put any specifics about his health in the deal-”
“Madara is my best friend. Tobi will be fine.”
“Enough.” Madara grunted. “Please discuss with our Seal Master on what seal would be best for containing Tobirama-san’s chakra for a year. Delay this any longer and we will return to war.”
Mito grit her teeth and walked away. The other older man following as Hashirama grew them a table to work at.
Hashirama continued to ramble at Madara about the future peace, Madara ignoring him mostly as he kept his eyes out for the White Senju while also watching the Uzumaki talk with his seal master.
Minutes later they returned. Mito looking like a sheet of marble. Kijima looking calm if not a little smitten at the much younger woman.
“We’ve agreed on a seal.” Kijima handed over a scroll with the description. “It will keep Tobirama-san’s chakra locked away and inaccessible, but will be keyed to Madara, that way if Tobirama-san does need his chakra in an emergency, it can be released.”
“Understood.” Madara handed the scroll back. “Call your brother out hashirama. Let’s get this over with.”
Before Hashirama could open his mouth, Tobirama dropped from the sky and landed in a crouch just like a cat, before his long limbs straightened and a face of cold indifference was revealed.
Madara still had trouble merging the two images, and hoped he wasn’t making a mistake.
“Seal him.” Hashirama ordered smiling.
Mito slowly grabbed her Otouto’s elbow and led him to one of the seats. Tobirama removed his armor, yukata, mesh, and face guard.
Madara’s sharingan caught a glimpse of pale skin, a much smaller frame than he realized was there, and a lot of red lines.
“Are those seals? Will they interfere with-” Kijima asked curiously preparing the ink.
“No.” Tobirama’s voice was colder than the air around them. “They’re chakra scars. Seals do not affect them.”
“This needs to go on your back Senju-san.” Kijima said when the young man hadn’t turned around yet.
Tobirama stiffened before standing and turning. No one on the senju side gasped, but those on the Uchiha did as Madara’s eyes widened. Not just the red lines that looked painted on, but there were normal scars upon Tobirama’s back. Old ones….and many of them. Belt scars.
Kijima was close enough to see the fine tremors of the Senju’s frame and looked to his sealing companion. “Quickly?” He whispered and she nodded frustration in her violet eyes.
Together they worked quickly to paint the seal on and then paint the control seal upon Madara’s wrist. The Uchiha Head had to infuse chakra into the seal it controlled and Madara was worried about Tobirama’s reaction. He knew his chakra was intense. Many couldn’t stand it so his control over it was better than any Uchiha.
Tobirama sucked in a sharp breath, spine going ramrod straight, body still as a statue, as he had his first contact with Madara’s chakra through skin contact. His world disappeared as all he could seem to focus on was the sunstar that was Madara’s chakra. He didn’t even care that he couldn’t feel mito beside him anymore. His chakra was cut off yet surrounded by Madara’s and…if they were really taking him to kill him, it would be worth it. All just to feel his delicious chakra.
The seal locked into place, syncing with the control on madara’s wrist. Thinking he’d hurt the sensor Senju, Madara was quick to remove his hand. Tobirama went boneless in the chair, glad that he wasn’t facing the others. He buried his head in his arms as the White Senju tried to not pant like a dog in heat, instead taking steady breaths, holding and releasing. He’d never felt so drunk on chakra before. It took every last piece of his remaining factories to stay put and not curl up in Madara’s arms.
He felt a much cooler hand touch his shoulder hesitantly. Mito moved around to run her other hand through his hair.
“Otouto?” She whispered almost kneeling beside him to make sure he was okay. “How are you doing? I did my best so that you wouldn’t have complete sensory deprivation-”
“I’m drunk.” Tobirama whispered breathlessly to her. Praying she got the message. Mito’s eyes widened a fraction before softening fondly. She helped him back into his mesh and shirt, but sealed up his armor and handed it over. Tobirama absently heard that Mito would be sending over a runner in a few days time with Tobirama’s things. Since he would be there for a year, he needed things to keep him busy unless the Uchiha were going to put his mind to work.
When that got no answer but the acknowledgement of letting the runner through, it was soon time for Tobirama to stand up. Mito returned to him again and he thankfully had recovered most of his faculties back. Even if he still had a few trembling limbs and the instinctive urge to purr the closer he was led to Madara. He bit his cheek instead and held onto his mask of indifference as Madara tested out the control seal that allowed him to walk across the river.
“I want a letter from Tobirama monthly.” Mito demanded.
“Mito that wasn’t part-” Hashirama started before his lovely temperamental wife stomped his instep. The treehead yelped and fell to the ground moaning in pain.
“Monthly Uchiha.”
Madara eyed her with something like respect in his dark eyes. “Understood Uzumaki-hime.” He bowed and eyed Tobirama. He hadn’t meant to hurt the sensor that it took him so long to recover…Kagami was never going to let him live it down if he found out. “You have enough access for tree hopping back to the compound.” He told the senju.
Red eyes met his ebony. “Understood Uchiha-sama.”
“Madara.”
“Madara-sama.” Tobirama corrected.
“Hn.” Madara leapt into the trees, his guard and new ‘political hostage’.
With their speed and pace, they were back at the Uchiha Gates within ten minutes. Tobirama felt it the moment his chakra was reduced to barely anything, yet it was still there.
He looked at Madara questioningly. The Uchiha was dismissing the guards and waved for Tobirama to follow him through the compound and in a quick tour to the Head House.
“You are a sensor. Kenshin mentioned as such. I had an Oba-san that was a passive sensor like you. Her range was suddenly cut off one day and she almost went crazy from lack of information. You are allowed that minimum chakra usage for a small range. You would be wise to inform me now how far that reaches. You have the chakra of a child right now.”
Tobirama hummed. “The span of the compound and a mile out.” He reported about what he could feel past the sunstar beside him.
Madara stumbled and before Tobirama could instinctively help him like he would when Touka or Mito stumbled when he’d said something to startle them, Madara was already balanced.
Wide obsidian eyes were on him. “What? But that’s with a six year old’s chakra pool. How far can you normally feel?”
Tobirama crossed his arms feeling a little defensive. He didn’t know if this was a general inquiry of curiosity or part of interrogation. Too distracted by the lovely feeling of madara’s chakra to dissect its feelings.
“Passively, to the capital and a circle range from it to me. If i focus, the entirety of the Fire nation and past some of our borders into the smaller nations. Uzu is just out of my range thankfully.”
Tobirama glanced at Madara two see him just staring at Tobirama. The Senju tightened his hands on his arms.
“Might you continue to show me where I will be staying during my time as a hostage-”
Madara jerked and gave a full body shake. (Tobirama had just hit a very Uchiha strong kink. Deadly. While his brain processed that it was also processing that Tobirama has been able to sense their compound for who knows how long.)
“You…you aren’t really a hostage. More like a…political Guest?” Madara tried to explain, but the tilted head of disbelief from the Albino made him try again. “Kagami and Kenshin and many of the other children have vouched for you. Curious, i looked into some things and talked my elders into accepting the rest of the clan trying to get to know you like the kids have. If the Uchiha can get along with the one senju rumored to hate us the most, then peace is possible.”
Tobirama just stared before he sighed and dropped his arms, one staying to rub at his neck while he looked away uncomfortable.
“I have never hated the Uchiha. I have only ever treated your clan the same i would any threat to the Senju. I treat the Hyuuga and Shimura with similar regards. Hyuuga because they are also a seal master’s enemy with their bastardized slave seal. The shimura because they are greedy for a bloodline of their own. The Uchiha are just the most active threat against my Clan at the moment.”
Madara was once more struck speechless and a few of the hovering shinobi whipped their heads to the Pale Albino at the semi-public confession.
“Where will i be staying Madara-sama?” Tobirama asked again, feeling his stomach curl at the eyes on him. He avoided walking through his own clan compound whenever possible. Using shunshin to get places without having to listen to the hurtful words of his own clan.
“Uh…oh…this way.” Madara stuttered and lead their guest to the head house. Tobirama dropped off his sandals and cloak at the door before following madara through the modest home and to the second floor. He was shown to a room almost twice as large as his own had been back at the compound, but then again he’d chosen to not leave the room he’d once shared with his baby brothers. (it still smelled like them if he stayed there long enough and just scented for them.)
“This will be your room during your stay.” Madara waved to show that it was already furnished with a folded futon, writing desk, closet, dresser, and empty bookshelf. “Do you need any supplies before your own things arrive from your home?”
Tobirama shook his head. “No. I carry most necessities with me in an emergency scroll.”
“Alright. I’ll give you a quick tour then. You can settle in afterwards as i have a meeting with the elders. Kagami has been warned to give you a day or two to settle in. My aunt will try to keep him and Kenshin away for at least a day.”
“Hm.” Tobirama acknowledged as he was shown to the bathroom, kitchen, library, madara’s study if tobirama needed him. He was pointed to izuna’s and madara’s own bedrooms, the dojo, sitting room, and a glance at the garden and large koi pond.
Tobirama stopped and stared at it and could practically see izuna being thrown into it by the older man at his side. His lip twitched.
“What?” Madara asked not knowing what that hidden look was about.
“Kagami had some very interesting tales of the Main family.” Tobirama answered and eyed madara who just looked patiently confused. “Something about Izuna kissing the Koi.”
Madara’s eyes widened before he grinned wickedly. Tobirama felt his ears burn and belly coil in heat. Madara was so very handsome up close.
“Don’t think you won’t get the same treatment if you act as bratty as he does.”
Tobirama sniffed hauntily. “I have class.” He turned and left for his room. Pausing at the doorway to see Madara standing there looking poleaxed again. “Thank you Madara-sama.” He bowed shallowly and headed for his room to try to process the day.
~
Madara watched the Senju go and tried to process the sassy attitude Tobirama had just thrown down. Madara ended up letting out a bemused huff of laughter. Who knew?
His mood was quickly downed when he remembered he was about to deal with his Elders.
~
Tobirama curled up in a ball on the futon, pulling out his emergency furs and trying to summon his pack. He felt the strain of the seal, but one at a time he was able to call not only Niko, Tala, and kiku, but Akira as well. The four leopards looked around and scented the distinct Uchiha scents.
“Tobi-cub?” Akira whispered concerned as her partner’s cub was curled up and scenting of pain.
“Hashirama gave me up to the Uchiha without any questions or terms.” Tobirama grit out. “They could have wanted to torture me, kill me….and he didn’t even ask what they were going to do with me. He OFFERED to have my chakra sealed.”
Four snarls while Tobi-cub let out a hiccuped sob. “He…He didn’t even hesitate.” He whimpered looking up with watery eyes, tears finally falling as betrayal thrummed through his chest and soul. “Why….why does he hate me Akira? What did i do that he sold me for a year of cease fire?”
“Oh cub.” Akira cooed and wrapped around him. Tobirama turned into her neck and trembled as he tried not to scream in pain as the feelings he’d pushed back earlier came back with a vengeance. His littermates purred and curled around him. Grooming him and cooing softly, but Tobirama still shook and finally gave in. arms like a vice around Akira, he buried his face into her fur an screamed for all he was worth. He didn’t know how long he screamed and sobbed, but the ache was still there, but Tobirama was too emotionally exhausted to continue.
“Tell us what happened. You are obviously not a full prisoner.”
So tiredly, Tobirama explained how his chakra was in Madara’s hands, he could sense partially, defend in an emergency, but was basically a political guest. Trying to prove that he could ‘behave’ when not on his brother’s leash. That just earned more snarls. Tobirama was too tired to talk anymore. His throat was sore from screaming.
Settling in for a cuddle pile for comfort and warmth, tobirama let his senses sink into madara’s chakra that was pulsing beside his own and fell into the deepest sleep he’s ever had since his mother was alive. (not having to stay alert for assassins from the elders, not having to stay alert for his constant missions)