Kindling

Tobirama faded back into the shadows behind the dumpster, the dark gray shades of his close fitting clothes (not a catsuit, really, it wasn’t Guðrún) helping him fade back, especially with his distinctive white hair hidden under a hood and shadowing his face, and ok, maybe if he was caught the clothes would be a dead giveaway of what he was but he had to get to work after this; taking the time to check and see if Madara was allowed to leave the hospital was a bad idea even if it didn’t make him late. He flinched back a bit farther as voices passed closer the ally he was hiding in and entered the hospital holding his breath as voices slipped out, sorting through the sounds “-Vow-“ “-ER, code-“ “-I said-” no wait, go back “-Core. Major Uchiha checked out – but he said they’ll be keeping an eye on things –” fuck, Tobirama threw himself back farther into the shadows and jumped to catch a hold on the old brick. Swearing to himself Tobirama scaled the wall as fast as he could; of course they would be keeping an eye out for him, maybe no Vow Core had been on the scene when they found Madara but how many albinos were there running around? They had to know who he was, especially if anyone got a look at the tattoos on his face. It…hurt, a little, to know that Madara was still angry enough to want to hunt him down like this (especially given that the Vow Core didn’t know about his…job), Tobirama had sort of hoped- though he hadn’t realized it- that in time Madara’s anger would fade and his soulmate might some day forgive him but if the Core was still so dead set on finding him that looked unlikely (it had never been, likely, not when it was Tobirama’s fault that Izuna would never walk without assistance).

The only good thing was that the Gold brother had left town for now to meet up with his brother in Suna, they would be back and something would have to be done (especially if the negotiations with the Shimura family panned out and the two men had the full strength of a mafia family behind them. Tobirama just hoped that the negotiations fell apart, his sources said there was still room for things to go wrong and he was just going to keep his fingers crossed for that (and maybe nudge anything he could to destabilize things). The dark city scape stretched around him as he slipped through the brick buildings of the poorer side of Konoha, and the albino drew in a deep breath, focusing his mind; he had work to do tonight and his sometime-partner wouldn’t be impressed if he couldn’t focus (Guðrún had little patience for things like that). “You’re late” the Hatake called as he rounded the water tower on the old apartment block, the loud noise of partying tenants enough to keep listeners anywhere but next to them from understanding their words; “I had something to check in on” Tobirama told her, shoving the hood back off his face and blinking in the sudden moonlight.

Guðrún examined him for a moment and let out a tired breath, “I heard that the Gold brother got into some trouble before he took off” she said. Tobirama looked away and bit back a sigh of his own; Guðrún was related to him- if distantly- on his mother’s side and for that Tobirama knew she wouldn’t betray his confidence – well, not without good reason (what she would consider a good reason was still up in the air though) “Do you really have to ask?” he said softly. Guðrún shook her head and let it go with almost visible exasperation, “Is it going to be a problem if there’s people looking for you?” she asked, “No, I don’t think so, they’ll be watching any place they think they can find me but I haven’t seen anyone in a long time – they don’t know where to look for me. Besides, I don’t intend to get seen” he reassured her. Guðrún grinned sharply, “Shall we then?” she growled, dropping into a crouch and leaning out like a wolf on the hunt as Tobirama slipped behind her like a shadow after lightning.

Madara frowned down at the papers on his desk, confused by the guard requests on it waiting for his approval; why were the Core watching the Hospital still? They knew who had attacked him, what else was there to know? They should be spending time looking for the Gold and Silver brothers, not watching a hospital he wasn’t in. “Izuna!” he called out the office, waiting impatiently for his brother and head of diagnostics to come in, Izuna was the one that had been requesting the guard after all; “What’s up Madara?” the younger man asked as he slipped into the office, glancing at the halfway closed blinds on the two glass sides. “Izuna why did you want a watch set on the hospital?” Madara asked, rubbing at his aching head and wishing he could make his office dimmer without worrying his officers; Izuna hesitated, a strangely hesitant look on his face “I- Madara I- I know we should have run it past you but I didn’t want to do anything until I had something to tell you” Izuna’s hands were twisting on his cane as Madara’s eye sharpened “Izuna. What’s going on?” “I- you know how someone was giving you CPR when the ambulance came? Someone saved you right? It- I didn’t think much of it until I got the officers written report and- Madara- Madara, he was described as young, tall, slim, and- and albino”

There was a roaring sound in Madara’s ears, and it felt the world had gone out from under him; “Albino” he whispered, staring blankly, at the window. Izuna shifted on his feet, “That’s what it said” he murmured and Madara forced his frozen lungs to take in air “Are- did they get anything else?” he force out past the lump in his throat. Izuna shook his head “No, they didn’t think to look more carefully they were more worried about you. He was keeping you alive when they got there and the EMT said that he only stopped when they pulled him back but otherwise no one tried to get a better look. He vanished while they were distracted, but then later your Geas was doing better and…” Izuna’s voice shook a little but not as much as Madara’s hands where he had them pressed against the desk. It, albino, young, tall, slim, helping Madara, albino, it- it had to be, fuck, it had to be Tobira (it felt almost like a betrayal to even thank his soulmates’ name after everything, after what had happened Madara didn’t have the right to anything with Tobira anymore but…) didn’t it. Tobira had found him, had saved him, had wanted him to be ok. “Why are you keeping a watch on the hospital? If you’re still trying to catch him out-“ Madara said, “NO, no Mada, I’m not. ‘m not trying to do anything with him, or catch him, or set him up for something, Madara I just wanted to try and catch him and, apologize I guess. Tell him he should talk to you “ Madara stared at his shamefaced brother, not even a little sure what to think; Izuna ducked his head farther, all but mumbling “I know you miss him, I just wanted to help”.

Madara ducked his head down, and pulled in a tight breath, “Take the watch off the hospital, that’ll just make him think that he’s in trouble like last time. Gods Izu’ did you really think that you would catch Tobirama? Just…leave him alone. He might not have even been the person that saved me” Izuna drew in a shaking breath and Madara saw him nod out of the corner of his eyes before the younger Uchiha slipped out of the room. Slowly Madara closed his eyes, feeling out the pattern of his Geas burning in him just as it had ever since Madara (almost) broke his Geas vow; maybe it was better now, it was hard to say, and even if it was that didn’t necessarily mean that Tobirama would ever think of talking with Madara again. Fuck, he had work to do, the Gold and Silver brother were still out there and the Shimura family had been growing bold as of late – not to mention that Hashirama and Mito were trying to get ahold of black Zetsu and pin him down for his crimes; Madara had too much on his plate to sit and pine after a man he hadn’t seen in five years, no matter how much he wanted too (no matter how much Madara missed him).