Written for the 'Pillow Talk' space on my fluffbingo card for 2019 Q2.
"So that's why the delegation they sent was reordered at the last moment before setting out?" Madara sounded dubious, whatever he was talking about.
"I suspect we aren't supposed to have figured that out." Tobirama replied dryly, and Indra sighed - he had been trying to tune them out for some time, but it wasn't going very well. Not that listening to their voices wasn't pleasant. . . "They have not been terribly subtle with their attempts thus far. I both anticipate and dread the moment Touka realises they're trying for her."
"If they're not made to stop before that." Madara pointed out, and Indra whined into the pillow he'd tugged over his face. The voices might be pleasant - very - but the discussion. . .
Tobirama shifted where he was pressed up against Indra's side, his hip snug and warm against Indra's ribs. "They refuse to listen to anyone short of the God of Shinobi it seems, so . . . I doubt they'll be stopped."
"Even Hashirama, surely, couldn't-"
"You truly want to make that statement about Anija?" Tobirama interrupted, with a snort. Madara huffed, but it was warming towards real laughter.
Indra shoved his pillow back off his head and frowned up at them both. "Could you," he asked pointedly, "not discuss this sort of thing in bed?"
They both looked down at him, startled, though Madara's fingers were already straying to toy with his hair, smoothing it out. Indra hummed, soothed. "Ah, politics, or-"
"Or my brother?" Tobirama completed.
Indra yawned and shifted a little, settling deeper into the bed. "Both." he decided after a moment's thought.
Tobirama laughed and Madara only rolled his eyes, but he still looked rather fond despite that. Indra hummed and leaned against Tobirama, bringing up one hand and idly drawing his knuckles over Madara's ribs. "Ah," he said suddenly, remembering, "do you remember that record I've been working on deciphering?"
"Mm?" Tobirama shifted up a little more, his thigh coming flush against Indra's side with the movement. Madara groaned. Indra snuggled into his other lover as well, petting Madara a little more.
"I've got a new piece of it worked out," Indra told Tobirama, grinning, "I've been meaning to-" he broke off as Madara groaned again, louder. "Madara?"
Madara propped himself up a bit again and twisted to look at Indra with something perilously near a pout. "Oh no." he said firmly. "Then I get to be lying here wishing I knew either more or less of what you two are discussing. No jutsu theory in bed. It gives me nightmares."
He actually looked a little pitiful.
Indra looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "Oh very well. Later." he added, glancing up at Tobirama, who smiled and gave a little nod. Indra yawned again, and Madara splayed a hand over his stomach, sliding up his ribs.
"Perhaps it's time to sleep, anyway." Madara suggested, lightly rubbing Indra's side. He sighed, and Tobirama leaned down to kiss him, murmuring agreement. He didn't straighten again, unfolding his legs and stretching out on his side, still snuggled close to Indra.
"Maybe." Indra agreed, closing his eyes as Madara put out the light and settled at his other side once more. He purred quietly as Madara's fingers found their way to his hair again, stroking and tucking it out of the way between them. "Oyasumi."
Tobirama hummed a reply, lilting with amusement, and Madara kissed Indra's shoulder, one hand sliding up to lie on his chest. "Oyasumi, loves." he said, a low, contented hum of his own.
"-but if you flooded it with opposing elemental chakra at the right point-"
"Or the wrong one, you mean?"
Low laughter thrummed nearby, and Madara stretched a little, still half-asleep and secure to remain so, with the familiar voices and calm chakra nearby. Gentle hands smoothed over his shoulders, strong and sure, and stroked down his spine.
Madara moaned and rolled fully onto his stomach, and the caress broadened as warmth settled at his side and the thick weight of his braid dragged across his neck. The light pulls of it, the warmth around him, and the slow, steady strokes over his back settled him almost back into sleep, though he wasn't truly tired any more.
"Wouldn't that create a feedback loop that could overload the entire boundary, seal or not?"
Madara whined, a confused mess of images popping up behind his closed eyes - including a few entirely too vivid memories Sharingan had buried indelibly into his mind after accidents he had unluckily been present to witness - or participate in, however much he wished not.
Or perhaps luckily, considering at least once his presence had saved Indra from potentially deadly backlash.
"Even if the link breaks, the backlash should be manageable with a simple secondary boundary imposed with the outer seal."
Madara groaned. Loudly and pointedly.
His shoulders were lightly patted and he felt the slightly feathery brush of his own unbound hair sliding over his hip. Madara huffed and shifted a little, and the warmth at his side moved enough to give him space, more of his hair falling across his back.
"We talked about this." Madara groaned almost into his pillow. "No jutsu theory in bed."
"You're awake!" Indra said brightly, and Madara squeezed his eyes more tightly closed.
"Good morning, Madara." Tobirama said softly, rubbing up and down his spine and leaning down to kiss his shoulder.
"G'morning." Madara mumbled, and shifted to flip over between his lovers. "No jutsu theory in bed." he said again, pointedly.
"Sorry, sorry." Indra said, giving him a sweet smile. Madara glared a little more on principle, because Indra's 'sweet smile' really only happened at two times - when he was making a display of it on purpose, or when he was completely distracted. "I was very excited about it, but I didn't want to leave the bed, and you." he said apologetically, sounding a little more honest, and bent to kiss Madara's cheek.
Madara huffed, scowling, but tilted his head into the caress anyway. Indra gave a real smile as he straightened, tugging Madara's hair back over his thigh and combing his fingers through it idly. Madara sighed, relaxing a little. Tobirama's fingers traced equally idle patterns on his chest, just firmly enough not to tickle.
"Another topic. . ." Indra mused, then laughed quietly. "Ah, did you see the latest attempt at catching Touka's eye?"
"Indra, you asked no politics." Tobirama reminded, and Madara laughed. Tobirama looked down at him with a curious sound.
"Not politics - you're talking about Izuna and Hikaku, right?" Madara asked, raising his eyebrows. Indra had surely not even paid enough attention to the visiting delegation to be aware of those two and their attempted attentions to Touka, if he hadn't even paid attention last night while Madara had been discussing it with Tobirama.
Indra grinned. "Oh yes." He looked at Tobirama. "They're both trying to show off for your cousin, trying to catch her eye and charm her, haven't you noticed, darling?"
"Ah. . ." Tobirama said with a frown. "Not . . . really?"
"It's been the talk - quietly - of the Uchiha compound." Madara said wryly, lips twitching. "There are bets going around."
"Not that you're supposed to know about that." Indra pointed out dryly, flicking Madara's hip lightly. Madara shrugged.
"Bets?" Tobirama asked, looking suddenly a little cool, mouth a flat line.
"In good spirits." Madara explained gently. "None of us would mock another's courting; it's only that they have both been trying . . . and Touka hasn't so much as swayed towards one or the other, near as anyone can tell - but she's not dismissing them, either, and she is engaging. With both of them."
"It seems likely enough - to most - that she'll choose one, that she's only toying with them first to decide." Indra filled in, toying with Madara's hair. "It's an accepted step of courting. How is one supposed to choose, after all, without proper displays?"
Tobirama opened his mouth, then closed it, eyeing them in turn. "I don't recall. . ."
"We didn't exactly court you the, ah, proper way." Madara said, flushing. He pushed himself up on one elbow. "Not traditionally. It is an acceptable manner, how we came together, as long as you're happy. . ."
"Of course." Tobirama said immediately, expression smoothing and lips curling. Madara smiled back, reaching up and tugging at Tobirama lightly. He bent, resting their brows together. "I am very happy with the pair of you. I didn't need you to . . . display anything but yourselves."
"You were also willing to have us both." Indra added as Tobirama sat up again, his voice low and soft. He poured Madara's hair off his lap and leaned over Madara to brush his fingers through Tobirama's, then down his shoulder and arm. "For which I will be forever grateful."
"Don't say you're grateful," Tobirama said, squirming a little, "that's. . ."
"As you like, dearest." Indra said lightly, squeezing Tobirama's hand. Tobirama took a breath, smiling again, and Madara rubbed a hand over his thigh. He darted a look back down at Madara, eyes warm.
"Betting, really?" Tobirama asked, shaking his head slightly, brows raised.
"Oh yes." Indra said happily. "Of course Izuna is the favourite for her favour." he added, and Madara rolled his eyes. Izuna knew that as well, and had been insufferably smug about it - when he wasn't panickily wailing at Madara to help him figure out how to court Touka properly.
How the hell would Madara know? Madara had never courted anyone in his life and wasn't at all sure he would have not made a fool of himself if he had tried.
"Hmm, no." Tobirama said, shaking his head. Madara blinked, coming out of his thoughts and looking up at his lover.
"What, dearest?" Indra asked, so apparently Madara hadn't actually missed anything.
"I know Touka." Tobirama said simply, shrugging. "Whyever they're favouring Izuna . . . they're wrong."
"Really?" Madara asked, intrigued. "She'll go for Hikaku you think?"
"He's actually more her type." Tobirama assured him, with a laugh. "Or perhaps she'll take both her competitive Uchiha," he said lightly, eyes flicking up to Indra as he smiled almost slyly, "as I did."
". . .that's barely been mentioned, you know." Indra observed, glancing at Madara.
"We're happy." Tobirama said matter-of-factly - Madara's heart clenched, warm and fluttery. He knew it, of course, that Tobirama was happy, as was he, as was Indra, but hearing him say it so easily. . . "Touka knows I'm happy with you; it might influence her. And if she feels she can't choose between them. . . We've made it clear that might be an option for her."
Madara glanced at Indra, wondering if Izuna and Hikaku would accept that option. It was . . . a possibility, however. Izuna was gone for her, and Hikaku . . . had rarely shown an interest in anyone, but had committed to this courting.
If Touka asked, they might, Madara supposed.
"Mm. . . Loves. . ." Tobirama trailed a fingertip down Madara's chest, and he raised his eyebrows, making a curious sound echoed by a question from Indra. "If I had, ah, delayed, if you had needed to . . . 'court me', properly as you say," he smiled at Madara, "what . . . would it have looked like?"
Indra shot him a look and Madara returned it, eyes wide, startled. And suddenly considering courting displays for him now - altered, perhaps, for they had already won their brilliant, gorgeous Senju, but he deserved to be spoilt for attention and affection regardless, and if he was curious. . .
"Some of it we do now." Indra said slowly. "Things to offer care, and show off as a partner - a potential partner. Sparring and meals and treats, gifts, doing things for a desired lover. . . Caring for a partner shouldn't end when courting leads to a choice." he added with a faint smile.
"Also challenging each other," Madara supplied wryly, sitting up, "which can be anywhere from light and friendly to deadly. To prove strength and determination . . . and dedication."
Tobirama's eyes widened, and Madara pulled him in close. He made a startled sound, but let himself be pulled into Madara's lap, cuddling into him.
"No one loves like an Uchiha." Indra said simply, moving close and brushing a kiss over Tobirama's cheek as he twined one hand with Madara's.
"The lot of you are crazy," Tobirama said quietly, "but I love you both. And I am very lucky to have you."
As of right now, this is the sole thing written . . . but I have a prequel (how they got together) open and in progress right now, and some thoughts about a Touka-centric sequel. . .