Kindling

Tobirama was grateful to Mito-hime, her agreeing to even consider the marriage again after Hashirama had sent the letter breaking off the engagement was nothing short of astonishing and- he hoped- indicative of a fondness for Hashirama; in the days after Father’s death the clan had been a mess, not infighting but there was so much that had to be reformed quickly and Tobirama had been… unwell at the time, the threat to his Sentinel eating at his mind was exacerbated by the blow his Father had got in on him before Hashirama got involved and the combination had left him a mess. Hashirama had felt as though he had to focus on his little brother, and he couldn’t bring himself to have children (“Why did you call it off? I know you like her” “I…. I- how can I bring children into this world? It was bad enough with child hunters but, Tobira, what if one is born a Guide? You know I don’t care but other people…. And Itama was one even if he never quite went on line, it’s in our blood” “Hashi” “No, I won’t have any more family until I can bring them into a better world”) so somewhere in there the betrothal had been called off- Hashirama had hated doing it Tobirama knew- and done so with little enough fineness that he had worried the bridge might have been burned completely.

But here was Mito-hime, smiling at brother and making Hashirama glow in a way that Tobirama hadn’t seen in a long time; and she looked at him- and, well. when Tobirama had met her he had been online and adjusted but not spur-broken yet, so he had known that she was a low level Sentinel- two or three senses at most not, but not all five-, not strong enough to need a Guide; but she was also, like him, a sensor, and that meant that like him she could see the chakra spirits that accompanied all Sentinels and Guides. Her clever faced Bengal fox always amused him and pulled his own spirit out to play unconcerned about the old faded scars around the snow leopards ankles from the failed adjustment, and even now he could see the fox watching the leopard though he refused to look at his own soul (he knew what it looked like, spur-breaking wasn’t kind and the seals on his face only did so much to keep him stable, his spirit was fading and broken and held together for his brother and the village Madaraif brother had a family Tobirama could die and it would be ok). Mito-hime’s hands and voice were gentle, the Uzumaki had always had a different view on Guides and Sentinels than the mainland, and she smiled at him like she cared (he hoped she cared for Hashirama still, he was so tired…), like she trusted him; and maybe she wouldn’t work for his plan, not if she was going to be so kind to him but if it made Hashi happy (and it did) he didn’t care.

Mito could hardly breath as she looked at her future brother-in-law (she had made her decision years ago, she had been hurt at first, she had thought that like her Hashirama was a little excited, but when she heard that the clan head had died suddenly under circumstances she had unbent some, enough to listen for news and think), as she looked at the way that even though Hashirama was so clearly pleased to see her (and wasn’t that a nice ego boost) he always left a sliver of his attention on his little brother, always kept a space for Tobirama open next to him; and go the younger Senju needed it, he was so….. she had no idea what had happened but she knew that it must be part of why Hashirama had never tried to reestablish contact, if it was bad enough for them to ink seals of connection and stabilization and gathering on his face then it was bad enough for her to forgive Hashirama for not contacting her sooner. Those seals, who had created them? They were clever but haphazard a bit, the product of a desperate and brilliant mind and a chakra powerhouse; though-  her eye flicked between the two brother- perhaps she had answered her own question.

A shifting movement brought her attention down to her feet where her fox was sadly looking at Tobirama’s leopard- even looking at it hurt to her shame- who was, huh, who was watching the large tiger that was sitting calmly next too the Uchiha clan head, interesting. Perhaps it was just that he was a powerful Sentinel, all five senses and strong too, very strong to have such a large spirit- though that was only an old wife’s tale- probably the strongest she had ever seen and, unless Mito missed her mark, completely unaware of what Tobirama was; after all she couldn’t imagine the tiger ignoring Tobirama if it knew not with the way the leopard was lying on the ground watching the tiger with what could only be called exhausted longing, which begged the question of why they were hiding it, (if not intentionally than at least by omission)? Probably it was because of Tobirama’s reputation, even the Uzumaki had heard of the Ghost, to let people know that he was also the strongest Guide Mito had ever met? It wouldn’t go over well, not with the way she could already see people watching Tobirama like he was a barely controlled wild animal (but not the Uchiha, huh). “Brother, perhaps Mito-hime would like to be taken to her accommodations to rest? And then see the village if she wishes, I know you wish to show it off.” Tobirama’s dry voice made her laugh as he interrupted his brother telling her uncle Hitoshi about the village and all it’s clans, “Oh!” he said spinning back to her (his hand brushed over Tobirama’s arm and the younger Senju relaxed) eyes bright and excited (had he been trying to give her time with Tobirama?) “Would you like that Mito-hime?” she couldn’t stop her smile as she responded, “Call me Mito Hashirama, we’re old friends after all.”

Madara shivered at the feel of the air moving across his hypersensitive skin, everything was too much (it was happening more and more), his ears were ringing again, the smells of the food and people were overwhelming, his eyes ached and everything felt like it had been turned up far too high, fuck; he hadn’t lost this much control over his senses since he was very young and he couldn’t seem to get head of it, the only time he had had a second to breath was earlier as they waited for Mito-hime and he wasn’t even sure what had caused that, must have been a change in the wind but he just wanted it too happen again (he just needed a moment, just one second to breath and get ahead of his senses, just a chance to implement his training, just one second, he couldn’t zone, he couldn’t). Soft movement (to quiet for even the best shinobi to hear, not to quiet for Madara) near him dragged his attention back to the world as Tobirama stepped into sight near him, the Ghost was watching him with his normal blankness but- huh, his heart rate was rapid and uneven, his breath a little shaky and his hands- there was little things that gave away some signs of emotion, why was he hiding? How was he hiding so well? Madara tipped his head, Tobirama hesitated for a moment (it was in his breath, not at all visible anywhere else) before slipping through people and light to stand near Madara (but not to close, was he- was he aware of his reputation? Stupid question, of course he was. but what did that mean?) watching him with distant red eyes.

“You should be proud, this is your dream” Tobirama murmured in his rich voice, Madara ticked his head to the side, “It’s not yours?” he asked and then winced, he hadn’t meant that to sound quite so aggressive and the Ghost seemed to shrink a bit (small change in scent and heartbeat, a faint dimming of the eyes) “I have not had dreams for many years Uchiha-sama, I have entrusted them to my brother. So in that it is mine as well” Madara frowned, thoroughly distracted from his discomfort now, what did that even mean? That he had entrusted his brother with his dreams, what a strange way… it seemed like that meant he used to have them and still wanted them but- “Uchiha-sama, are you well? your senses are giving you trouble are they not?” Madara blinked at the other man, startled to be pulled from his musings. He shifted uncomfortably as the words penetrated, “I, I suppose that my status as a Sentinel is well known” he muttered; Tobirama sent him an unimpressed look and he grimaced “If you’re trying to hide it you don’t do it well” the albino said dryly (….what? he had a sense of humor? What?) “not that you should, this should be a place no Sentinel or Guide feels they have too, I suppose if I have a dream that is it.” Madara looked at that sharp pale face, glowing in the celebration light; still and cold as it ever was but… Tobirama nodded at him a little and vanished into the crowed. Madara frowned after him, that had been… odd. (the calm relief of his senses settling down, of the encroaching zone fading, went all but unnoted in his confusion – Madara didn’t note the timing as he should have)