Kindling

Ah, well, his luck had to run out sometime Tobirama thought distantly, he just wished it hadn’t happened now; not right in the middle of the Uchiha clan compound, not while surrounded by an entire clan that feared and detested him (he would have preferred their hate over their disgust honestly) and that would take his head off the second they realized what he was. But the second Tobirama had felt the chakra swell for the fireball jutsu from one of the other Uchiha (Hikaku, a clever one sense Sentinel- ocelot) just in Madara’s blind spot, he had known that it was going to trigger a zone; unexpected light, heat, and sound while Madara was walking on a hair thin line already? Yeah, no way to stop this. The fire had blossomed and a second later Madara faltered, words stuttering and steps going uneven (it was impressive he held off the zone that well to be honest) before he whimpered a little and hit the ground; Tobirama twitched hard with the need to go to his Sentinel, need to fix it, help him, save him (the large tiger was watching him, pacing franticly), but he couldn’t not here, not where anyone could see (Madara had never zoned in public before, Tobirama had never failed so totally at keeping him safe when he was right next to his Sentinel but no amount of passive presence had helped this time, this time Tobirama well and truly wasn’t enough).

Tobirama glanced at Hashirama who was staring at Madara with worry painted over his face when the Uchiha flinched away from Izuna’s touch with a pained sound; no, that wasn’t going to work, not with this zone but they needed to get Madara out of here. He glanced at Hashirama again, hands shaking a little and his brother met his eyes with a concerned look “Tobi” he whispered stepping closer; Tobirama shook his head firmly, he couldn’t leave his Sentinel like this. He turned to Madara dropping to fast for any of the Uchiha to realize what he planed and stop him before he gathered Madara into his arms (mustn’t touch skin) and stood carefully with the clan head tucked against him; Madara wasn’t a light man, roughly Tobirama’s height but significantly heavier, broad with the muscle he needed to swing that gunbai around so wildly, but Tobirama had carried heavier that he cared for far less (a precious burden). Izuna made a sharp protesting noise and twitched towards Tobirama only to pause when Madara shifted closer with a sigh instead of recoiling as he had form Izuna, “Do you have a Null room?” Tobirama asked calmly, trying to hide his shiver at the brush of hair against his neck; Izuna hesitated, wavering before nodding sharply and turning to the heads house, followed by Tobirama with his dear burden (he tried to ignore the Uchiha he could feel following him, Hashirama was between him and then, he would make sure that Tobirama was safe). The Null room was reassuringly well built as Tobirama slipped in after Izuna biting back words as they were followed in by Hashirama (of course), Hikaku, Kikiyo (a cousin of Izuna and Madara’s), and at least two other he didn’t know; Tobirama ignored Izuna’s too sharp eyes as he walked around the other side of the bed and carefully settled Madara on it (Hashirama was at his back, watching the Uchiha), as he drew back Madara whimpered and shifted like he was trying to chase Tobirama (Tobirama shuddered, fighting the call of his Sentinels need and the dark eyes of the watching tiger).

 Hikaku watched the Senju Demon with sharp eyes, just waiting for him to lash out at Madara-sama; except, there was something about the way the albino’s fingers lingered before they drew away, about the way he was twisted to Madara-sama like a compass pointing north and – no. no, there was no way – no. Hashirama spoke as Hikaku moved to stand next to Izuna, Kikiyo at the door keeping the other clan members back “Brother” said the Senju clan head quietly, the Demon tipped his head to the side, red eyes intent on Madara-sama “Can he wake on his own?” there was a pause and then-

Oh.

Presence unfurled around the Demon, rolling out over the room to lap at the walls in a sea of velvet silk; Hikaku wanted to sink into it, wanted to relax into it and never leave, then the Presence pulled back, slipping away to shiver around the boundaries of his self without really touching (that control). Hikaku gaped, he had never, never felt a Presence like this, never felt a Guide this strong or carefully controlled; this, he thought, was a Guide could lead even Madara-sama back to the waking world (and a Guide that had never tried to pull any of them, never even given any indication that he was a Guide at all).

 Madara drifted, swimming in a gray static world, ears ringing like the had been standing next to a flash-bang tag, everything shaking and twisting around him and – a scent, one he recognized, a touch through his clothes (he wanted it on his skin), movement, people pressing close, quiet, touch pulling away- no!- back, firm gentle, and then- oh. Oh yes. Oh sweet fire and blood- everything soothed, smoothed, gentled, eased a little-  Guide, mine- he could hear a little “-you’re a Guide?!” anger, swimming in noise, scent coming closer “-won’t be enough to pull him out like this, he needs-“ someone in the hall (family? But angry) moved “-calm down do you want your brother to wake?” standing behind his Guide “-zuna… strongest Guide ever felt, could match…. never tried to force… even indicated that he could” another Sentinel but not a threat “Will he come out if you-“ someone moving down the hall, anger “no” hesitating at the door “you save him?” “He’s in deep, if I do there will be a bond” fury at the door lashing at his Guide, twisting curling around his and snarling at the threat batting flame from the air with his hand- "the fuck, go find them" "-attacking in the Null room!" 

Shouting sending him under again until gentle touches under cloth (wearing gloves) on his cheeks and a soft humming pulling his back, voices calming “you can save him” “I will not bond without his consent” “he will never wake if” “not without his consent. And he will never give that to me” strange, his was upset, he wanted that to stop, “his life or his anger” “I will not violate his Self” “it won’t matter if he never wakes” silence “out” his was trying to sound angry but was anguished, movement, sound, then alone with his and sweet silence, and then, hands on his cheeks, skin on skin and Madara’s world Lit up.