Burn as does the Sun (II)
Madara gathered his precious Center to his chest as gently as he could, it must have been agonizing but the only sound Tobirama could make through the damage to his throat was a faint wheeze edged with a painful whine, Madara was seriously considering that that was worse than any vocalization- this was just making the extent of the damage so much clearer; Tobirama was wrapped gently in Madara’s under robe- the softest of his clothing- as he took off for the oasis at the smoothest run he could manage, trying not to listen to closely to the labored rasp of Tobirama’s breathing. The oasis was blessedly cool and tree covered as he ducked into the cover of the fan palms, glad for the closely backed and shaggy trunks that gave them cover from the sun and would allow him to make a slightly comfortable bed, at least something better than the ground; he settled Tobirama on the ground near a cool spring-pool (moving water to insure that its clean as it can get in this situation) choosing a soft dark bank with cool wet mud and spread out his thin outer robe and settling Tobirama on that, it wasn’t perfect but it would start cooling the Senju slowly while he did his best to heal him. Madara was not a gifted healer, but like all shinobi he could heal the basics and he was Uchiha so burns were nothing new; he wet a rag and dripped water slowly on to pale lips cracked and smeared with blood that he no longer had to loose, holding the rag there as he raised a green glowing hand and swept it down one pale arm relived when the blistering, searing burns (he was so pale, it must have hurt so much. Someday Madara would find whoever had done this and kill them) eased; he had to prioritize, the most dangerous of the burns first, then the as many of the rest as he could so that Tobirama could lay down somewhat comfortably, then get him cooled down slowly and get water in him. It was going to be a very long night, and Madara did not give a fuck.
Tobirama was stabilized, as much of the burns healed as Madara could and laying on his back to keep the burns gently cool in the mud, when the Uchiha took a deep breath pulling his fingers through sweat matted hair; Tobirama would survive (probably), at least long enough for Madara to get him to the compound (it was the only place he could think to take his Center, the Senju would probably kill him on sight but the Uchiha wouldn’t dare and once they knew Tobirama was his Center they wouldn’t touch him) after that was anyone’s guess really, but Madara wasn’t going to let anything happen. Not if he had to beat the whole world into submission! Tobirama whimpered and Madara jerked all of his attention on the pale shape next to him, his voice was a little better for all the water Madara had been dripping down it constantly for hours but it still sounded raspy and painful and Madara hated it, he wanted Tobirama happy and bright, eyes sharp with the intelligence the Uchiha knew he possessed and- and red eyes were open, just a little. Madara brushed a finger over his cheek “Tobirama?” he asked carefully, red eyes- glassy and dazed- drifted over to him “Madara?” he whispered on a breath of sound “How did I call you? My chakra….. you must be so disappointed with me Lodestar, so stupid…” Madara snarled “Hey! No one talks about you like that! Not even you.” Dazed eye’s blinked at him and shaking fingers twitched “so pretty, always wanted to” pale finger tangled in his dark hair where it brushed Tobirama’s skin “so soft, like feathers… mother you- would like you. Very vivid, so warm and cool all at once. Will you tell brother I have what he wanted? Didn’t forget, even though failure…” and Tobirama’s voice failed, lips still moving even as he drifted farther into delirium. Madara swallowed, he needed to get Tobirama to real medical help (and figure out why his Center had been out in Wind Country getting something for Hashirama).
Tobirama dug his way out of the mist of drugs very slowly, mind drifting away every time he tried to focus on what was waking him up, only- he needed to wake up, that was something…. Oh. Some one was injured, odd, why was he drugged it there were still people that needed healing? He should be healing them. Well. if they wanted to make life harder for him with drugs fine. He could still d his job, fuck you Aunt Shoto. It was hard to see- go he was so tired…. Someone was trying to talk to him, Aunt Shoto? Fuck you Aunt Shoto, woops, that may have been too much chakra. Someone was running at him. odd. Another grabbed his arm, duck twist throw, two in one go, good hit, ah, there they were. His knees ached a little as he dropped down next to the bed with the injured shinobi, odd, chakra felt different, maybe they had picked up a half-blood Hyuuga somewhere? Oh well. blood is blood is not in the right place. He could move it where it was supposed to go either way, no need to fuss with their chakra. There. All better. Good. oh. Shit, standing wasn’t….. wow, he felt, the world was moving. There was someone behind him, strong and warm and safe, he twisted stumbled and collapsed into them, “Wanogotobed” he slurred out, curling into warm-strong-safe, “takemetobed” warm-strong-safe made a funny noise. What? oh well, sleepy.
Madara stared dumbly at his armful of exhausted sleeping Senju, glanced at his bowled over shinobi guards and healers, looked over at the healed but pale Uchiha with a basin full of blood Tobirama had lifted out of her brain, turned to a dumfounded Izuna. “He’s perfect” he breathed worshipfully.