Kindling

“I – I just want to see him again and have him back at my side” Madara whispered and Kurohime’s heart clenched, glad that her brother wasn’t holding onto bitterness and anger and the other sorts of emotions that poisoned Uchiha but also deeply sad for the helplessness that she saw in him. Oh he had fought to take the throne with complete focus and conviction but…under that it was clear he was struggling without the person that he had started to rely on at his side and – yeah, Kurohime wanted to know why Ayumu had done what he had, she wanted to know why the man had left when it had been so clearly the last thing he wanted; Kurohime wanted to know what had made Ayumu so sure that he couldn’t trust Madara with the truth when anyone with Sharingan could see that was all he wanted (and no Izuna didn’t count because he was an angry idiot). It was clear the man had been involved in the resistance but how and why was not and he seemed to have vanished in the clans even as the resistance opened up things for Madara to take the throne as if they suddenly had intelligence telling them he would; and yeah, she was sure Madara hadn’t missed the fact that his lover seemed to be the person that had placed him on the imperial throne - on the throne without any sort of backstabbing attempts to control him from behind.

No Kurohime was sure that the last thing Ayumu had wanted was to leave Madara or lie to him but for some reason he hadn’t felt like he had a choice and she just had to figure that out and find the man again to bring him back. The war was over now, Madara was taking the throne and would be coronated soon where he would hopefully get the celestial mandate and as the true Phoenix Emperor do away with the policies that had led to the resistance in the first place meaning they could go back to being part of the court and leaders in the realm (as long as they didn’t hurt his lover, Kurohime didn’t know why they would but…she had a bad feeling and couldn’t figure out why) and Ayumu could come back hash things out with Madara! Surely whatever was holding him back was gone now?

A knock at the door drew the attention of both Uchiha and they turned as one to look as Madara called out a welcome and a shellshocked looking Hikaku opened the doors wide enough for Kagami to launch himself though the space with a glad shout of ‘Madara-Shishou!’ that had Kurohime’s throat closing with the force of her emotion. They had thought Kagami dead, the bright teen and the joy he brought fully gone from this world he had been gone so long and yet - ! here he was, alive and hale and grown taller than before, looking well kept and well fed with his eyes bright and unclouded with torture and torment only – there was something –

“Madara-Shishou you have to stop them!” the teen blurted, hands fisting in Madara’s ornate robes “you have to stop them! I know it was part of the plan but it’s a bad plan and stupid and I just know you can’t be that angry at him! He saved us, not just me but the others too, he made sure we were ok and healthy and not deprived of anything and not mistreated and that I have books and things and he taught me all about so much stuff, I know so many things and he’s why the war is over and I just know you won’t let a name –“ the rush of Kagami’s frightened chatter was nearly overwhelming and Kurohime reeled as she tried to keep up, holding out a hand to stop him. “Kagami, Kagami stop who? From doing what? And who saved you?” she demanded, frustrated but feeling like his nerves were a catching thing as Kagami shifted from foot to foot, “Stop the resistance council, I told them to wait and not just send his body with me but-“ “Kagami! Send who’s body?” Madara snapped, tension all over his body.

“Tobirama-sensei, Tobirama Senju, you know; tall, pale, very stoic and crazy smart, red eyes though I think the markings aren’t permanent and he had long hair for a while and he saved me and took care of me when he wasn’t on missions even though he’s been in deep cover for months he tried to take care of me but he’s positive you’re going to want him dead and-“ the longer that Kagami went on the stiller Madara got until Kurohime wasn’t entirely sure he was breathing but (Tobirama Senju, deep cover mission with long white hair, crazy smart and sure Madara would want him dead though as far as she knew they had never met or fought in person, Tobirama Senju of the clan the Uchiha hated most who saved everyone and taught an Uchiha child) she didn’t blame him. “-the clans agree with him, they were just going to send me with his corpse” (oh please kami no) “and I convinced them not to but he’s still drugged and they could change their minds at anytime and-!”

“Kagami,” the boy looked at her with deep fear on his face and Kurohime swallowed hard past a dry mouth “is there any chance he might have been undercover here in the place? Changes to his skin color or things he might have said or anything?” they had to know, had to but as Kagami blinked, thought about it and then got every wide eyed and nodded Kurohime wished she hadn’t been told the news, diving forward to grab Madara’s arm before her brother could stalk out of the throne room and ignoring the way he snarled at her, his face a rictus of fear.

“Yeah” said Kagami slowly “he’s albino but there was a while he had long hair and darkened skin when he showed up, and he didn’t have the facial marking then either and he said some things – yeah, he could have been here. Did he do something wrong? He was just trying to make the war end faster! I –“ “Kagami!” Kurohime snapped again “He –“ she couldn’t say he hadn’t done anything wrong, couldn’t even say Madara didn’t want him hurt because, Senju (no wonder he had been so sure). “He didn’t do anything wrong” Madara ground out “and if they kill him they will have to face a level of fury that will make Shimura seem benevolent in comparison. Kurohime, fetch the guards and mount up, I have something of mine to take back” and he spun with a snap of the trailing edge of his robes, Kurohime for once completely unsure what her brother was thinking.