Peace

Peace.

Growing up with Hashirama as an older brother, the word was one he'd often heard spoken in wistful tones, or, in the case of their father scornful longing. It was a word he both loved and hated, one that tore at his heart as much as he ached for it, because he knew that as much as he wanted it, he'd never see it while he was alive.

The Uchiha saw him as a monster, a rabid dog contained only by the will of his kind brother. They saw him as an emotionless tool, or so they said, and yet they continually toted that he hated them, as if he killed them for mere sport rather than to protect his family. The Senju saw him as cold, efficient, their perfect weapon in the never-ending war with the Uchiha. He yearned for the peace his brother spoke of, for the end of the war and yet as each day passed and more people died it seemed to be getting further and further away. He'd always thought he would die before they saw peace and yet…instead he would be the catalyst for it all.

He just hadn't wanted to watch another child die.

When he had sensed a child terrified just past the border of their lands and the Uchiha, he hadn't really stopped to think before racing in the direction of the child. In fact, it was only as he got closer that he realized that the child's chakra had an undercurrent of warmth the he'd always associated with the Uchiha, as well as a smoky feel that he'd always linked to the main Uchiha Branch (read: Madara).

So, a brother, but he was too young to be Izuna, who was at least a year Tobirama's senior.

So, who?

Shaking the thought off, he focused on reaching the child, heart clenching as soft choked sobs reached his ears.

Worse was the sight when he finally reached the boy.

Kunai pierced most of that tiny body, the most alarming on being the one in the child's spine. Nearby a line of trip wire was disturbed, near invisible wire glinting around them. Surprisingly the child was still awake if only barely, tears streaming down his cheeks. Healing the most fatal one he, gently removed the kunai and healed him until all that remained was the one in his spine. As he moved to reach for it, the child more awake now, screamed and flinched away, crying out in agony.

He sighed.

Kneeling, he shushed the child gently, watching with regret as the boy paled at the sight of him.

"P-please," The child begged still sobbing but his breathing had sped up in panic, little body trembling in pure terror. "Please, don't hurt me! P-p-please, I-I d-d-don't want to d-d-die! P-please!"

He couldn't be more than seven.

It hurt.

It shouldn't have, not knowing the things people said about him. The monstrous way people perceived him. But- It hurt.

He didn't dare show it.

"Sh, you're safe. I just- I'm going to heal your back." He thought for a moment then held out one of his kunai, the boy flinched at the sight of it and he almost took it back.

"Do you know how to use this?"

The boy nodded, sobs slowing slightly. "Y-yes."

"If I do anything, I want you to use this then flare your chakra. There is an Uchiha patrol nearby and they would take care of you, okay?"

The boy eyed him for a moment, and he was stunned to see that there was a sharingan already spinning in those young eyes. Finally, he nodded bravely and Tobirama leaned forward. As he healed the child, however, his heart sank lower and lower in his chest.

"What's wrong?" His charge asked, and he looked away.

"I- I'm so sorry."

"Why?"

He sighed. "I healed what I could but I- I wasn't able to heal it completely. Several of the nerves in your lower back were severely damaged."

For a child, the boy caught on nearly immediately, rage and hurt in his eyes. "I'll never be able to walk again?"

He shook his head, head shooting up as he sensed a Senju patrol coming closer. He almost missed it when his charge glared at him.

"You- you did this!"

He didn't reply and the child grew angrier. "No! Fix it! You haveta fix it! I- please!-" The anger faded into pleading, and the guilt nearly choked him.

"Please."

He wanted to say more, but the patrol was getting closer, and he knew they were both dead if they caught them.

Butsuma wouldn't care if he was his son or not, if he was caught helping an Uchiha, even one so severely injured, his father would kill them both.

"What's your name?" He asked and for a moment he thought the child would ignore him.

"K-Kagami."

"Alright," He whispered, nerves growing the closer the patrol got. "I promise you, Kagami, I will continue to search for a way to make this better. But until then- until then we need to go. Now."

Kagami stared at him then nodded solemnly, looking much braver than any child should have to and he nodded determinedly, pulling the child into his arms and leaping into the trees. Sneaking past the border he moved as close as he dared to the Uchiha compound and gently set the child down.

"No, don't leave!" Kagami whispered and he stilled.

"Kagami, no one, no one can know about this. No doubt you know who I am."

He nodded. "How do you think your family will react to the Senju Demon within their borders."?"

The child looked down sadly and he felt. And his lips twitched despite themselves.

"Now, I want you to close your eyes and count to ten. When you reach ten, flare your chakra and when you open your eyes, the patrol will have reached you. Can you do that for me?"

Kagami nodded, then before he could stop himself reached forward and hugged his savior. "Thank you."

A small warm smile crossed the older boy's thin lips and he closed his eyes. By the time the first number crossed his lips, he knew that Tobirama was gone.

*/*

A year passed.

His brothers had been furious when they found out about his injury and had hounded him about how he'd gotten back to the compound.

He told them a moon rabbit had saved him laughing at their disbelief.

A seal appeared on his window sill one night and he found himself hopeful yet at the same time daunted by the fact that his savior had been able to enter their compound undetected.

It wasn't a cure, merely a way to ease the pain but it gave him hope because it meant that his savior was trying. That he hadn't given up on him.

Another year passed.

Still no cure.

Yet, he still knew Tobi was looking for one because Izuna told him that the "snowy-haired bastard" was seemingly distracted when they fought.

Another year.

No cure.

His hope began to wane, if only slightly.

Then their father died. Butsuma right after.

Even while mourning, he found himself hoping that the end of the war was coming. After all the new Senju clan head was his brother's friend…right?

Izuna had sneered at him when he'd asked Madara, who had only sighed.

"Not yet." He'd responded and his voice had been so weary that he hadn't been able to bring himself to ask again.

The war continued.

Another year.

Another seal appeared on his window, A summoning seal this time, with a simple note.

'He'll live.'

Then, a day later-

Tobi struck Izuna down.

*/*

"What happened?"

Madara closed his eyes pained as his baby brother's voice reached his ears, his hand tightening around Izuna's limp one.

"Senju debuted a new move today. Izuna wasn't fast enough."

Kagami's eyes widened, then he frowned as if remembering something.

"If…If I had a way to save him…would you let me explain before you attack?"

Madara frowned. "I wouldn't attack you. You know that." At least he hoped his baby brother did. Since returning to the compound injured all those years ago, he and Izuna had been…very protective of their youngest sibling, especially since he was unable to walk. It drove the younger Uchiha mad, but he accepted it with an exasperated smile.

"It's not me I'm worried about." He replied softly, before pulling something from his pocket.

Upon closer inspection, he noted that it was a summoning seal, though not one he'd ever seen before.

He felt the beginnings of dread pooling in his gut.

"How-"

The boy shook his head, then took a deep breath and pressed his chakra into the seal.

A plume of smoke appeared and when it cleared, Madara's heart stilled in his chest.

No.

No!

Sharingan blazing he stepped in front of his brothers with a snarl, watching as those carmine eyes met his impassively.

"If you want him to live, I can heal him."

"You're the reason he's like this!"

The man sighed. "A miscalculation on my part. The jutsu I used was untested. I was unsure if it would work, hence why I aimed for a nonfatal area. Had I wanted him dead I would have aimed for his heart."

He glared at the cold bastard, but the man ignored him, turning his gaze to the youngest Uchiha present.

"I completed it."

Kagami's eyes lit up. "R-really?"

A soft smile crossed the man's lips, cold gaze softening into something that made Madara's breath catch because, oh.

Oh hell, he was beautiful.

Using the speed he was famed for, he vanished from the Clan head's sight, reappearing on the other side of Izuna. Madara spun around, whirling gaze livid, but Senju met his eye calmly.

"Do you have a Kunai?"

He removed one from his pouch and Kagami's lips quirked almost as if it were an inside joke, removing one from his sleeve.

Tobirama's own smile returned. "What are the rules?"

"If you do anything suspicious flare my chakra and use the kunai." Madara stilled at the words.

What the hell was going on?

Watching as the Senju heir nodded, he tried to force himself not to tense when those hands began to glow green and moved toward Izuna's limp form. After a moment, the color began to return to his brother's face, his breathing calming into something more like sleep as his wound vanished.

Running a final scan on the other, the Senju heir turned to Kagami who moved closer to him using the makeshift wheelchair they'd made for him.

"Stay still." The man warned before his hand began to glow green once more and moved toward the teen's back.

A short noise of discomfort left the youngest's throat causing him to tense but Aa warning glare from his younger brother stopped him.

The Senju heir breath stuttered slightly, and his brow furrowed, especially when he noticed that the man's free hand had started to tremble, pale skin slowly growing paler..

After what seemed like forever, Senju pulled away and Kagami gaze a tumultuous smile.

"Th-thank you, Tobi."

The man shrugged. "I am not in the habit of breaking promises." He replied, faltering back a step as he stepped away from the youth. Kagami frowned worriedly, taking in his savior's paler than normal complexion and the deep exhaustion in his eyes. When those carmine eyes fogged slightly, he leaned forward.

"Tobi?"

"I'm fine. I- I should go…"

"Not until I get an explanation. How do you know my brother, Senju?"

Tobirama stared at him, then shrugged. "He was caught in one of the traps within our borders. I healed him and brought him here, but I couldn't heal his injury well enough for him to be able to walk. At least not then."

"But you can now?"

He nodded, body stiffening as if trying to prevent himself from falling.

"Rest. You will come to no harm here tonight."

The Senju heir shook his head. "Gomen, Madara-sama, but I need to return to my clan. I still have duties to complete before I can retire."

Madara wanted to argue, but instead he pursed his lips.

"Fine. Expect my hawk come morning."

The younger man nodded once more. Then with a whisper of sound, he was gone.

The Clan head stared at the space he had been for a moment longer then heaved a sigh, turning to his baby brother.

"Rest, Kagami. We will talk in the morning."

The teen hesitated. "Are you mad?"

"I am…I am worried and confused. But I'm not angry. Not at you."

Lifting the boy from the makeshift wheelchair they'd made for him, he held him close for a moment then settled him down beside Izuna's slumbering form

"Now, rest. I'll be here when you wake."

Kagami yawned, exhausted by the day's events. Curling closer to his older brother, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep, never seeing the confounded expression that finally took over Madara's features as he realized no one could see him.

Everything he'd heard about the younger Senju, from Izuna, from his clanmates, sometimes even from Hashirama himself said that he was Butsuma's perfect weapon, and hated Uchiha just as much as his father had.

And yet…

The person that had just left him was not that way. Not at all and it raised a serious question in Madara's mind.

"Just who the hell are you, Senju?"