Kindling

Madara frowned deeply at his mother, batting back a lock of his dark hair with deep frustration; Akari Uchiha raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the gesture (do you want to tell me that’s not a problem?) and he frowned even harder all but glowering (so what? it’s a mess, it doesn’t bother me.) only to wince sharply as he shifted and one of the many knots in his hair caught on the embellishments on the swirling Uchiha throne, his mother snorted (uh-hu, doesn’t bother you at all. Its all good and fine and I’m sure that doesn’t hurt.). He grimaced, looking down and trying not the fidget, Akari sighed “Madara I’m not trying to tell you how to live but you need to find your spouse, this is getting ridiculous. You don’t have to marry them right away, but this is really past time to deal with this.” he whined under his breath and sat back in his chair (he was not sulking) fiddling with his fingers “I don’t want to keep doing this. The last lady that you found made it worse for crying out loud!”  he said brandishing a lock of long dark hair that was all but matted; she winced a little looking at it and the tangled mess of his knee length hair.

“Alright, she was a bad fit I know, but Madara this is only going to get worse if you don’t find someone who can tame your hair! You need your true love.” Madara whimpered and buried his face in his hands “Don’t say it like that!” he whined; she huffed and folded her arms “Well it’s true isn’t it? You have to find your true love, or you’ll never get that mess untangled. I know you don’t like it when I put it like that but that’s what it is; you’re Uchiha, it’s part of life. Oh stop it dear, you’re wearing a crown, bloody well act like it!” he sighed and shoved himself upright ignoring the pinch on his scalp as he moved. His mother wasn’t wrong, he probably should try to find his…. fuck, fine, True Love- ugh- harder than he was,  i.e. he wasn’t trying at all, and he could see why that worried his mother (and fine, he could probably just cut it off, but no way in hell was he doing that!) but he didn’t want to be paraded in front of every lord and lady and merchant and person that his mother could find and have their fingers in his hair (he was protective of it, sue him) pulling and yanking and all over him- it felt so invasive. He sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands, “I know mother. I just…” his mother deflated as well, leaning forward to rub his arm gently “I know ‘Dara, I’m sorry for pushing it so hard, I know you don’t like it, I just don’t see-“ she was interrupted by a fast knock on the doors of the great hall and they both turned to it in time to see the doors blow open and a tall long haired man with a beaming smile bounce into the room.

“Madara!!!” he sang out as both royals stared at him, what in the world? Wait, Madara leaned forward “Hashirama?!” he said, shocked by the sight of his childhood friend after so many years; well shit, Hashirama had definitely grown up- oh. Fuck. He was definitely taller than Madara now. God damn it. the Magis grinned brightly “Madara!!” he cheered again and the Uchiha slumped back “Fuck. Hashirama.” the smile grew and Hashirama opened his mouth again only to yelp and double over as another man elbowed him hard in the side as he entered to room (wow, oh shit, wow, that was… wow), the slim white haired man turned to the throne and sketched an elegant if slightly old fashioned shallow bow (plenty for a Magis) “Your Majesty, Your Highness, I am Tobirama Senju, this is my brother Hashirama-“ “-Tobira! He already knows me!” the look Tobirama sent his brother for the interruption was venomous “And has it perhaps been several years? Did you meet the Queen Mother at the time? No? than surely you can introduce yourself like you have some manners.” the older brother grumbled a little but bowed as well with good cheer. 

Akari giggled a little behind her hands “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I heard many stories about you Senju-“ “Call me Hashirama!” (Tobirama groaned a little rubbed at the bridge of his nose, Madara watched him move entranced) “Hashirama then, I am very glad to meet you, I’m sorry for the circumstances under which you left lest time.” Both brothers sobered a little as her words and Tobirama nodded a jerkily and Hashirama smiled sadly “Thank you my Lady, it was…. but that’s the past, and it’s wonderful to return to out native land!” if Hashirama’s voice was a little forced no one pointed it out to him. Madara shifted a little “I hope you’ll stay for a while? I’d like to spend some time with you that’s not when we just finished open court.” Hashirama blinked at him mouth open in a surprised ‘O’ “Oh! That’s why they didn’t want to open the door! I had wondered….” Tobirama rolled his eyes (“I did try to tell you brother”) and Madara sighed a little, Hashirama had clearly changed very little; Akari tapped her finger on Madara’s throne where she stood next to him “I know this is a little abrupt but I have a Favor to ask you if you would hear it” Madara sent her a confused glance but Tobirama nodded slowly “my sons hair, I’m sure you can see the problem, I was wondering if you could brush it out? It causes him some discomfort.”

Madara gapped at her, what the what?! They were Magi yes but- “Oh! Still having trouble with that? I don’t think I can help now any better than I could when we were kids, but Tobira might be able to! He is very good with that sort of fine control thing.” Tobirama sighed a little and stepped forward “I am willing to take a look at it if you wish your Majesty?” Madara nodded dumbly, the younger Senju brother’s lips twitched a little- Madara followed it a little more closely than he should have really- and he stepped forward, a light gesture drawing a gleaming comb of ice out of thin air (shit, that was very impressive to do with so little work). He stepped closer, slanting a glance at Madara from under white lashes as he lifted the tangled lock of hair (was that pink on those red slashed cheeks? Holy shit, it was!) and focused on his task.