A/N: This fic is to be set in the canon universe - more specifically, in the same universe as Across the River (drabble series), which is not necessary to read first, or at all.
The first segment below takes place about a week after Hashirama and Madara's families fought on the river—and the second segment (after the XxXxX) a few years later. (This is a combination of the latest 2 chapters of AtR, with a newly added conclusion which wraps up that story and marks the start of this one). Enjoy!
PROLOGUE
—-
After a hard day's work of maintaining their clan's border, it felt nice to come back home to his family. Killing people on a daily basis was no easy task; father had made sure to teach him that well. At only eight years old, he had learned many things well, in fact. Like the fact that...
Madara was better than him.
"Pfft." He scowled, and crossed his arms over his chest. He marched over to the common area of the home, set down his katana, and subsequently removed his sandals. The area of the room was still flooded with the light from the evening sun. He liked it. He liked the way the shadows formed behind certain pieces of their sparse furniture. He liked the way the light made things shine just right; and when you stood at the perfect angle...oh man. The view was just mesmerizing.
Izuna really liked the light. A lot.
With a happy smile, he sighed, and wandered through the home, eager to find his father. "Otou-san!" he called. He made his way to his parents' room. "Otou—" he said, stopping when he saw his father sleeping on the futon. He ran over to him and knelt down beside him, placing a small hand on his shoulder, attempting to wake him from his early slumber. "Father, father! I am home!" he said.
"..." Tajima's coal-colored eyes slowly opened, and a low groan escaped him as he shifted, trying to sit up. He stared into space for a bit before turning his head and looking down at his eager young son. Heavenly rays of light spilled onto the boy from behind the man, where the sun was nearing its last moments for the day, squeezing out every last drop of warmth it had to offer before it disappeared into the long, cold depths of the night. Izuna's face was lit like an angel. "What is it, Izuna?" he asked gruffly.
He was blunt. "How does the Sharingan work, father?" he asked curiously. "I mean, how do you get it, exactly?" He recalled his delight at seeing Madara achieve his just the week before.
His father placed a weary hand over his eyes before slowly dragging it down his face. "Don't worry, Izuna. You will get yours, too, at some point...you are a good ninja."
The boy pouted, and sat back onto the wooden floor, crossing his arms. "That's not what I was asking, father."
An eyebrow quirked up at him. "Oh?"
He continued. "What I meaaann, is how do you get it? What makes it just appear out of nowhere?" He studied his father's face, checking for any hints of deceit before he got his answer.If I get it, then surely I can win against Tobirama this time!
"Hah...Izuna. How old are you?" he questioned flatly.
"I am almost nine years old, father," the little Uchiha answered matter-of-factly. He paused. "Wait, don't you know that already? Or do you! Did you forget how old I am? Because I know you haven't forgotten how old broth—" A hand was placed heavily on top of his head.
"Relax, boy. The Sharingan is something that only happens to a select few of our clan...you may or may not ever get it," he said in a stern, concrete tone. His face betrayed no expression.
Izuna's eyebrows came forward. "But didn't you just say—"
"...Then?" The rays of light were fading now, and only a faint glow could be seen on the boy's face. Tajima grimaced, lifting himself off the futon and into a standing position, and said, "You will understand later, Izuna. If I tell you right now, you may not understand. I want to be able to teach you properly..." He saw disagreement begin to take form on his face. "...and when the time comes," he assured, "...I will." He held his shoulder achingly as he moved away from the boy and proceeded to leave the room.
Izuna noticed the way his father held himself and frowned. Still, jealousy was on his mind. "But you are telling big bro all these things—"
"If you already know so much, then why are you asking, son?" He turned to face him as he stood in the doorway. "Right now...it is his time..." He sighed heavily. "Be grateful that you have even survived to your age. Have some respect for your fallen brothers..." He let his stern look linger for a moment, and then rubbed his forehead before exiting into the hallway. Two hours of sleep was not enough to cure his exhaustion after a battle with several Senju and Akimichi shinobi. This time he'd only had his brother and cousin along with him, and they were not doing very well. "Go..."
He stopped, and turned back once more. He was surprised to see Izuna still standing there, several feet away from him. "Go get your brother, will you...Izuna? I need to talk with him."
Izuna stood there, pouting slightly, but then quickly removed the frown from his face, remembering what his father had just told him. "Yes, father." He sturdily turned around and proceeded to exit the abode in pursuit of his older brother.
Meanwhile, Tajima returned to go find his wife. Right now, she needed him more...
Her illness had been eating away at her, slowly, but now...things were beginning to turn for the worse, at a much faster rate than before. Grimly, he reached her closed door before taking in a breath, trying to appear happy. A reason...what reason would he need...
Madara.
Unlocking his Sharingan. She hadn't been told yet, due to her state before... A smile came upon his lips. Yes, that was...reason enough, for sure. The awakening of their clan's legacy...
Before his eldest son would come to see him, he slid open the door and slipped inside for a brief moment to greet her.
—-
The young Senju paced back and forth across the grass outside his home. What was going on...what was going on... He stopped suddenly, noticing a familiar presence nearby. He turned his head to the side and saw Hashirama approach him, wearing a curious expression upon his face.
"Tobi? What are you doing?"
He stared at him intensely for a moment, and then returned to his pacing.
"...?" His brother raised his eyebrows. He tried to enter their home, but whenever he got near, Tobirama crossed his path. Back and forth, back and forth...
Hashirama sighed and began to peel off his armor, but decided to let his headband stay. "Tobirama? Is there something you need to tell me?" He tossed the armor onto the ground in front of the small abode.
"Yes..."
He continued to pace, back and forth, back and forth...
"Actually...no."
More pacing.
Hashirama scrunched up his face and whined at him, "Aah! Tobirama! Cut it out, you're making me nervous!"
At this, he stopped. He opened his mouth to say something, but after reading his elder brother's expression, he closed it, and resumed his pacing.
Hashirama fell onto the grass in a criss-cross position and performed the most epic facepalm he could. "Tobbiii~ra~ma~..." he groaned, looking up at his brother through his fingers. "Spit it out already!"
So bad...
He is so bad with words...
"Argh!" Tobirama grabbed his hair into his hands and pulled downwards. "You—"
His brother perked up. Now they were making some progress. "Okay..." he said slowly. "I...?"
"You..." Tobirama's eyebrows slid forward before he shook his head, sending his white hair into a more chaotic mess than usual. "M-Madara..."
"Now we're getting somewhere..." he said, completely unfazed by the name that fell from his brother's lips. Now...all you have to do...is finish the sentence! "I know you can do it, Tobi-chan!" he urged, in a falsely enouraging tone.
His younger brother glared at him, unintentionally making his brother hold back a snicker at seeing his adorable face trying to look threatening. "This is not funny, anija."
He raised his eyebrows once again. "Oh dear. A coherent sentence. Are you able to continue now, or can I just go inside and fall into the deepest slumber imaginable...?"
Frowning, Tobirama blinked at his brother's awkward phrasing. "Uhh..." He closed his eyes, and slapped his own hand to his head. "Aahh."
Tired by the events of the day, Hashirama sighed once again and stood up, making his way to move past his still-pacing little brother. However, just as he neared the entrance, Tobirama stood in front of him, blocking his way. Hashirama frowned down at him. He has been like this all week. "What is it already, little bro?" He settled a hand onto his brother's shoulder firmly, warmly. "What is eating you up so badly?"
Standing face to face, or rather face to chest, Tobirama stood quietly for a moment. He stared at the impeccable cleanliness on the front of Hashirama's shirt, kept spotless due the armor having been in place. "That week, when we met Izuna, his father and his brother...you remember?"
"Yes," he answered dryly, still staring into Tobirama's eyes which were focused only on his shirt. He looked down for a second. Was there something on there?
"...Just how long had you been seeing him?" he finally asked, and then looked up to meet his brother's eyes. He received a scowl in return.
"What, you hadn't been following me the whole time?"
"Obviously not," he retorted, frowning back at him. They stared at each other coarsely.
"What is it about that day that's pissing you off?"
His frown deepened. "I'm not mad. I just don't understand something..."
"...?" Hashirama's expression turned curious again.
"When Uchiha Tajima threw his tanto at me, you stopped it." His eyebrows slid forward in confusion. "...Why?"
"..." Hashirama slowly became horrified. Was he seriously asking that...? "What do...?"
"I mean, instead of throwing that rock to stop the blade, why didn't you try to cancel out the rock that Madara threw? Izuna would have died, right then!"
"...But...so would you..." Hashirama looked down at him seriously, incredulously. He was now genuinely horrified. He felt an involuntary stinging in one of his eyes.
"So?"
His expression became sad. "Tobirama...even if it meant winning against an enemy...I could never..." He examined his brother's expectant face with a steady, firm resoluteness. "There is no way in hell I would trade your life for an enemy's...I want you to know that, Tobirama..."
"...But..."
"No exceptions!" he raised his voice. "You saw what Madara did! He did the exact same thing! He could've stopped my rock from hitting the tanto aimed for you...but he didn't. You see? Brothers care about each other." He placed his other hand on the younger Senju's shoulder, as well. "Madara is not a bad person. Just like I did, he chose to save his own, instead of letting you both die." He studied the eyes of his little brother. In them was a mixture of confusion, understanding, relief, and love. It must be father... "You would've done the same, wouldn't you?"
Tobirama looked away, gradually realizing the kind intentions a family could have upon each other. He felt somewhat foolish in Hashirama's warm, almost paternal presence. It was like...he was being forgiven...for something...
"Yes..." he answered positively.
"So you see? If you would've looked out for me, then you should know that I would have done the same. Common sense, Tobi-chan!" He is so similar to how mom was...not just in appearance...I wonder if he remembers her as well as I do?
"...Thank you..."
Hashirama smiled gently. "Now...was that what you had wanted to say, all this time?" Had he just wanted to thank me, all along...? He removed his hands but then placed one on top of his head, ruffling up his shorter, snowy locks. "Tobirama..." He chuckled. "You are so awkward. You know that, right?"
"Pfft," he responded, and stepped out of Hashirama's way, reaching to retrieve the boy's carelessly tossed red armor from the ground. He picked it up, examining the metal surfaces carefully, and then turned around, watching his brother step inside.
If I could see Madara again...I'd ask about his brother... Hashirama sighed, and wondered, just as he did every day since the week past, if he would end up crossing paths with the Uchiha ever again.
—- —- —-
XxXxXxXxX
—- —- —-
Well, little Senju Hashirama had certainly gotten his wish.
"Ugh!"
Madara stared fiercely into his former friend's dark eyes. Their swords clashed for the fifth time that morning. Sweat dripped down from the backs of their necks. The swords shook in their strong, yet trembling hands. After quickly retreating, they both moved forward again and eventually found themselves locked in a battle of strength.
"I don't...want to have to fight you, Madara..." Hashirama said, breathing heavily. He jumped back as Madara did the same, and skidded to a halt. "This is enough..."
"Neither do I..." Madara finally admitted. "But it doesn't matter. And that's Uchiha Madara, to you." His Sharingan glinted dangerously in the bright morning sunlight before the two ninja found themselves thrust into thick forest, where the sun's warm rays suddenly became something of a rarity.
Hashirama frowned. Several years had passed already since that day when Madara had declared himself his enemy. Would this never stop...? He clenched his teeth as he took a blow to the stomach; he really needed to stop getting distracted in front of him. But he is...
Taking no pleasure in this fight, Madara huffed before blocking the next blow aimed for him. Was this life? Was this how it was supposed to be, forever hating opposing clans while they were hired to fight them, never finding peace? He had no time to think on the subject further as he was suddenly pushed back against the trunk of a tree. He shut his eyes at the force, and when he opened them, he saw Hashirama standing in front of him. Even though they were of equal height at the time, it appeared to Madara that the Senju was the taller.
"What do you want?" he said angrily, not liking being pushed into a corner. He began to peel himself off the tree and attempted to land a punch on the other boy's face.
Hashirama caught the fist aimed at his face with ease, and held it in the air beside him. "I want to talk with you."
"About what? The lovely weather we've been having?—"
The boy's eyebrows rose. "Oh, you've noticed it, too? The past few days have been so nice, but today it got cold again—"
Madara scowled, and looked to the side. "Stop it, Senju. This is no time to try to bond with me as my friend." He noticed Hashirama stop his banter, and both pairs of dark eyes met equally. "We are enemies now." He narrowed his eyes. "We've been enemies."
Not the least bit relaxed at seeing Madara deactivate his Sharingan, he continued to speak. "Do you...remember what we used to talk about? Back in the day?"
"I said stop it, Hashirama! All of that talk...was nothing but bullshit. Look at what our families are doing now!"
He frowned, hurt. That was obvious enough. "Yes, I know! My clan is being killed by yours!"
"And mine is being killed by yours!"
"..." They stared at each other harshly...an expression that only close brothers could understand.
Brother...?
"...And so? What are we doing, now? Madara." Hashirama felt a chilly breeze cool his head; his headband, soaked with sweat, became cold, and goosebumps rose all over his body at the airy sensation. He unconsciously gripped Madara's fist a little tighter at the cold feeling.
The Uchiha felt the grip around his hand tighten, and took it in offense. "We...are not doing anything."
Not really listening, Hashirama let his mind slide back in time. He was remembering...
—- —- —-
'Adults are idiots,' Tobirama had said bluntly. 'If we want to put an end to this senseless killing, we should just make a truce.'
'But how can we form a truce? What about our own comrades who got killed? Neither side will be able to forgive the other,' Itama had responded. 'There will always be retribution.'
'Keeping talking like that and we'll be burying you real soon,' Tobirama had scolded gravely. 'There will never be any peace if both sides keep on seeking vengeance. You and the adults are becoming too passionate. What we need to do is repress our emotions, and set in place some rules. Only then will we be able to avoid all this useless fighting.'
—- —- —-
Hashirama looked into his old friend's deep, dark eyes and searched them earnestly, ready to speak just as bluntly. "Madara...I think we should talk to our clans about making a truce."
"..." His former friend was silent for a moment while he recalled the conversation he'd had with his younger brother just last year.
—- —- —-
'You should have heard the ridiculous things that Tobirama said to me, today. He's decided he wants a truce,' Izuna had said. 'Can you believe that, big brother?' After some silence, Izuna then stared at him suspiciously. '...Has his brother talked to you, as well?'
Madara shook his head. Hashirama? 'No.'
'If he does, brother...don't listen to him. Mother told me that she once tried the same thing when she was younger, with Tobirama's uncle...they had secretly been friends! But then...the Senju double-crossed her!'
This had surprised Madara. 'What?'
'She was telling me stories...a little before she died...' Izuna had returned his piercing black eyes at him, looking him seriously.'That's why I know I can't believe Tobirama. The Senju clan cannot be trusted,' he finished strongly.
—- —- —-
Returning from his memories, Madara broke the short silence, and spoke blandly. "Do not speak to me of such useless things." He pulled his hand back from him.
This shocked the Senju, and made him furious. "It's not useless! My brothers died thinking we could maybe have some peace in this godforsaken world of shinobi!"
Madara met his friend's sorrowed gaze, seeing the tears that must be stinging his eyes, and felt his own spirits sink low. Did Hashirama actually think he wanted any part of this? This was life! There was no other way. He felt the presence in front of him rage with a burning fire of hope.
He wanted to reach out and touch his face, and tell him that this was all pointless, and that they should not be standing here, hiding from the others, doing nothing but drowning themselves in such...idle chatter.
If only he could tell him...
He decided not to speak the other half of his mind. "Hashirama...it is an impossible dream," he said finally, leaning in close, leaving almost no space between them. "Don't try to drag me into this nonsense, again..."
The young Senju stared intensely at his friend, unaware of the effect he was having on the Uchiha. "Well, when you change your mind, you know where to find me..." But Madara slipped away from him, just as easily as the other times Hashirama had tried to get a moment like this with him.
"I won't give up," he asserted again firmly, with not only his mouth but his eyes, the fire in them unwilling to falter at his friend's words. He watched, helpless, as his friend walked away and spoke once more:
"For now, I will leave you...and while I may know where to find you, I do suggest that you do not try to find me."
Madara let the cold words dangle icily in the air as he left, not letting his heartbreak ever be known to this...hopelessly kind Senju.
He...does not want to be reached... Hashirama closed his eyes as he felt the cold wind caress his face, unable to tell whether nature offered the gesture in comfort or hurtful finality. He shivered, and opened his eyes. I will reach you someday.
That is a promise.
—-
That night, another Senju had a tough time sleeping.
—-
'Adults are idiots,' he says plainly. 'If we want to put an end to this senseless killing, we should just make a truce.'
'But how can we form a truce? What about our own comrades who got killed? Neither side will be able to forgive the other,' Itama says back thoughtfully.
He glares at him. 'Keeping talking like that and we'll be burying you real soon,' he scolds gravely. 'There will never be any peace if both sides keep on seeking vengeance. You and the adults are becoming too passionate. What we need to do is repress our emotions, and set in place some rules. Only then will be be able to avoid all this useless fighting.'
—-
"Itama!"
"No..." Hashirama falls to his knees beside the young boy. "No, no..."
Tobirama stands beside the two. His face is a silent mixture or grief, and disbelief. After a few minutes of grieving, he places a hand on Hashirama's shoulder. "Anija, we need to leave..."
Suddenly, something doesn't feel right. He gazes at Itama's corpse, and then back at his three family members who'd arrived with him at the field. And then he realizes.
He hadn't been there. He wasn't. There.
—-
He awoke, gasping. The boy sat up, and stared at the wall in front of him, sweat covering his face and hair. Stupid dream...
He got up and quietly exited the Senju home for the second time that night, hoping the cold, punishing winter air would stop this foolishness that had been plaguing him these past few years. He found an even colder spot on the ground outside their home, and then sat on it, attempting to meditate or whatever it was that Hashirama had been trying to get him to do. So he tried; but all that kept blocking his mind was Itama, and what he had said to him just weeks before his death.
And then...Hashirama.
—-
He can see that he is very upset; so is he.
"How could you say something like that to him? Who says things like that?! And now look, we've already buried him!" Tears fall down from Hashirama's eyes.
He can't feel anything but guilt. He only stares back at his brother's face, trying not to look bothered by his words.
"Why don't you say anything, now? Or are you going to tell me that I can't mourn his death, either, and that I'll end up just like him! Am I becoming too passionate, Tobirama? Is that wrong?"
He cannot come up with a reply. He does not want to. He has nothing to say, and only wants to break down into tears, and be forgiven for his inconsideration. He wishes to be surrouded by Kawarama, Itama, and Hashirama, just sitting together like they used to. Training together like they used to. Having fun like they used to. Just being brothers.
But that cannot happen; Kawarama is dead. And now, so is Itama.
Tobirama keeps a straight face as he is subjected to Hashirama's distress.
"You should really learn to be nice! Have some feelings, for once! Itama is dead and you have not shed a single tear!" He stares at him hard. Frustrated and unable to stay any longer, he turns his back on him.
His only brother can only stand there, and when Hashirama turns and leaves, the tears come; and they do not stop. He cries, alone.
—-
A few, quiet minutes of reflection went by when he suddenly became startled by a person standing beside him. He looked up to meet his father's dark eyes.
"What are you doing out here, boy?" his deep voice asked, sounding annoyed and concerned at the same time.
"I can't sleep, father," he said bluntly, returning his gaze in front of him, halfheartedly studying the numerous trees in the forest several hundred yards in front.
"I mean, what is with that position you're in?" he questioned, staring down at Tobirama's crossed legs and overall calm posture. That boy wasn't one for sitting look so relaxed and all that nonsense. In fact, he couldn't recall a time when this boy—his wife's doppelganger, he liked to think affectionately—wasn't standing around with his arms crossed, tagging along with Hashirama wherever he went.
Tobirama and his older brother...they were like mother and son to each other, almost; except, their roles would continuously reverse. Tobirama would follow him like a lost duckling, but when Hashirama needed his head on straight—and several times he did, that boy!— then Tobirama would step up and hold him back, at the same time preventing himself—their own father—from knocking some real sense into him, into that constantly daydreaming genius son of his.
"It is a form of meditation; Hashirama thought I could benefit from it. But so far," he said, mumbling softly, "it's not working at all."
"...And is there a reason why you're meditating out here, in this cold temperature, and at this time of night?"
"I can't sleep," he repeated simply.
His father shook his head. "Ah, well..." he said, turning around, and then stopping. Hashirama was leaning against the doorway of their home just a few yards in front of them. He sighed. "I will be going back inside; however...I believe your brother wishes to say something to you." He turned away from his youngest son and stepped back inside their home, moving past his eldest without a word. Once inside, he watched Hashirama exit the doorway and make his way beside his brother, looking down at him with a soft, kind expression.
Butsuma almost envied the look Hashirama was giving him. His mind temporarily slipped into the past. How he missed his own brother and sister... His older sister would give him that exact same look when he himself had been troubled as a boy. The Senju closed his eyes in pain at their memory, and left the brothers alone.
—-
"Whatcha doing, little bro?" Hashirama plopped a hand onto the boy's head.
The ninja in question looked up at him. "What do you think I'm doing?"
"Trying out that meditation technique I taught you.." He saw him begin to nod his head grudgingly and added, "...And failing it completely." He received a dirty look. "Aha, just relax, Tobi-chan!"
"That's what I've been trying to do," he muttered. "And quit calling me that!"
"Anyway, seriously, it's cold out here." He shivered and sat on the cold ground, huddling next to Tobirama...or at least trying to. "Aren't you cold? Look, the plants are certainly freezing!" he said, pointing to various frosted-covered plants nearby. "And it's really late. Or...really early. I can't tell."
"Go back to sleep, anija," he responded plainly. Why does everyone want to bother me when I just want to be alone?
"Well, I can't just leave you alone out here, you know."
Iiiii! Tobirama turned his head to his left and glared at his brother's face, which was just inches away. "Since when can you read minds?"
He raised his eyebrows, causing a few nearby dark brown strands of hair to fall beside his eyes. "It's not that hard to read yours. Obviously you want to be alone, that's why you snuck out and are now sitting here, trying to kill yourself in this damn. Cold. Air," he finished, teeth finally beginning to chatter.
Tobirama finally began to shiver, too, and brought his knees up to his face, crossing his arms over them and then letting his chin rest on them. "So is there a reason you have come here? If you know I want to be here by myself."
"Because I know you've been having nightmares again," he said sharply, quietly. He flicked the side of Tobirama's head.
He turned back to him. It was no use lying. "Every year, no big deal. All the time."
A moment of silence passed. "...I remember what you said to Itama that time."
Tobirama's eyes narrowed at the ground.
"...And I'm sorry for what I said...after that." He remembered after Itama had died, but before he went to see Madara, he'd confronted Tobirama, hurt and angry. "'You are becoming too passionate. Keep talking like that and we'll be burying you real soon'...is what you said."
"And that is exactly what happened..."
"But not for the reason that you think. Itama had gotten upset over Kawarama's death, and he was letting it get the best of him...but father and uncle talked to him a week later..." Receiving a curious look, he tried to guess what Tobirama must be thinking: 'Then why were you so angry with me if that's not what happened?' He continued, "Actually, I didn't know...I found out sometime later that Itama received a lecture from them..." He gazed down. "I shouldn't have been angry with you. Itama's death had nothing to do with his anger and feelings over Kawarama...
"I'm sorry."
Tobirama met his eyes. "Why do you apologize? You were angry, and that was fine...you should not have to apologize for having feelings."
"Yes, but my feelings were out of line. You were not to blame. What I said those years ago...must have been hard to hear..." His heart felt heavy. If it had Tobirama who had told him such things...he didn't think could've taken it. "Hearing such words...must have been painful..." Hashirama knew if they'd been directed at him, he wouldn't be able to sleep, either...maybe not ever.
Tobirama observed his older brother. He really feels sorry for such a trivial thing... But even for such a trivial thing, Tobirama noticed, his heart felt lighter, as if he'd just been released from a huge burden; and for such a trivial thing, Hashirama was sure feeling sorry about his actions. It was beginning to become clear that this conversation had indeed been good for the both of them. He slowly let Hashirama lean onto him, finally, letting his head of long hair rest against his shoulder. "Itama was...very wise...understanding the cycle of hatred in this world at such an age..."
Hashirama was quiet for several moments. After thinking for a while about their lost siblings, Tobirama began to wonder if his big brother had fallen asleep. So he shifted, causing the boy the stir a bit. No, not asleep. "What are you thinking about?"
Silence.
"I fought with Madara again, today..."
Tobirama turned his head at the sudden change in topic. "Really? Is he dead?"
"..." His brother flicked him again. "So damn blunt, you! Argh." And then again.
"So did you?" Another flick. "Ow!"
"NO...God, Tobirama...I wouldn't kill him," he said, only then realizing the implications of his statement once he'd spoken it aloud.
"..." He continued to look at him curiously...almost...suspiciously...? "Why not? If he tried to kill you, would you not do the same?"
Hashirama thought for a moment. "Actually..." He placed his left hand over his eyes. "That's the thing...I don't think he was trying to. Over the years, whenever we've met...and fought...it feels like he's become less and less antagonistic towards me."
His younger brother noticed the face in front of him start to turn a certain shade of red. "Come on, let's go inside...I know you can't really handle the cold as well as you think you can..." He stood up and pulled him up, as well.
Now it was Hashirama's turn to look at him curiously.
As they walked back to the house, Tobirama said softly, "Just don't do anything stupid. He's our enemy—on the battlefield, off the battlefield. It's no use getting close to someone when either of you may not be alive the next day because of one another...especially when the other might not feel the same way about you..." he added in an even quieter voice, completely going unnoticed by the hopelessly oblivious Hashirama.
"He is my friend, Tobirama...I can't just kill him, and I don't think he wants to kill me, either. So...we're okay. I think." He received a doubtful look, and lowered his voice further once they stepped into the warmer air of their home. "So really, don't worry about it. And...I didn't just fight with him—we also talked."
Tobirama noticed Hashirama's face start to glow. "About...?"
He could barely contain his whispering. "A truce!"
"...A truce?" He blinked. "Anija, have you gone mad?"
Hashirama stood there, shocked. "What do you mean?" he asked. 'We should just make a truce...only then will we be able to avoid all this useless fighting.' "You're the one that came up with the idea in the first place! What's wrong with it now?"
"For starters, what was wrong with it before? What makes you think any clan—forget about the Uchiha—what makes you think any clan would agree to such a thing?" The two Uchiha flashed through his mind.
"What makes you think they wouldn't?" He studied his brother's expressionless face. Still, something was there; he could see it. "You...talked with his brother, didn't you? Izuna." Still the same pokerface. He thought for a brief moment in amusement that if he, Tobirama, and Madara were to ever play against each other in poker, he'd definitely lose; he wasn't sure who'd win, though...
"Yes. I did. Once..." he replied carefully.
"When...?" he asked, not sure what surprised him the most—the fact that Tobirama had (instead of simply murdering him) actually talked to Uchiha Izuna about it, or that he was actually admitting to doing so...
"...Last year."
"Last year! Tobi! Why didn't you tell me...?!"
"It wouldn't have made a difference! They wanted no part of it," he said, crossing his arms.
"And so you...just...gave up?" ...'They'? he wondered.
He gazed at him levelly. "For now..."
Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "No, not for now. Now, ...we try again." He let his firm words linger in the warm air for a moment. And then, suddenly remembering, he looked into Tobirama's eyes and grabbed his arm—who eyed the hand on his arm in annoyance before returning his dark-eyed gaze to his older brother's curiously smug face—and began to whisper, barely able to contain his excitement. "Also, Tobirama...there is something I need to show you..."
—-
They reached the edge of where the Senju residence ended and where the forest began, and stood in the clearest patch of the ground, where it was rid of all visible plant life and the area surrounding their feet consisted of nothing but cool, damp, snow-sprinkled dirt.
"What? What is it already?" the boy demanded as he squinted through the sun's orange rays, wondering what his brother could possibly be showing him at this early hour of the morning.
Hashirama looked at him with the eagerness of a young child. "Look carefully, Tobirama!" he said while bringing his hands together slowly. Ignoring his body's incessant shivering, he closed his eyes and gathered his chakra; over the next several seconds, a small growth of something plant-like sprouted from the cold dirt in front of the boy.
Tobirama met hs brother's childlike eagerness equally. His eyebrows hit the roof. "Cool!" he exclaimed. He bent down, kneeling onto the snowy dirt and gently touched the new plant. He stared at it in awe. Soon enough, though, a conflicting thought dawned upon him. "...This would be quite useful in battle..."
Hashirama sighed. "Mind always on the battlefield..."
He stood up suddenly. "Did you show father?"
"No, not yet..." He gently lowered an eyebrow upon hearing the odd question.
"Don't," he said firmly.
"But?—"
"This jutsu...is this a jutsu? It looks more like a kekkei genkai...you know, like the Yuki clan with the Ice Release... Anija!" he suddenly exclaimed. "You do have a kekkei genkai! You have both doton and suiton ability, yes? And so when you combine those two..."
"You get...plants," Hashirama finished for him brightly. "Small trees! A wooden form of life...mokuton."
"..."
Hashirama was nearly jumping up and down. "Aw man, just wait 'til I show—"
"Hashirama!"
He turned. "What?"
"This ability will most likely be very useful for war..." He saw his brother frown lightly at him. "I don't want that to happen. If anything, you now possess a greater skill in your quest to settle a truce with the Uchiha and all the other clans. This ability will probably hail him as a very powerful ninja... and he will also gain many enemies from this, just as others with kekkei genkai do.
A flicker of grave reality crossed his face. I'll make sure no one gets in his way.
"But I can't even do that much with it right now..."
"That's okay! We'll train," Tobirama said easily, lightening up. His old bright self prior to their siblings' deaths had seemingly decided to show itself, much to Hashirama's content. "Just like we did before!"
Hashirama smiled warmly. He hadn't seen his little brother so excited about training in such a long time. "Okay, but this jutsu really is a long ways off from being fully effective...I need to work on it...a lot." He plopped a hand heavily onto the boy's shoulder. "Better rest up, Tobirama! We are going to train like hell tomorrow. Who knows, if our powers advance so greatly, we could lose control of them and might even end up killing each other!"
"Heh?" He sighed at his brother's relentlessly eager behavior. "...Don't get that ahead of yourself, anija. Plus I think it would be rather useless if we ended up dying...Man..." He rubbed his eyes. "Also..." he yawned, "It is tomorrow."
Hashirama yawned, too. "Okay...we'll go rest for a bit, then. And soon—"
"Yes..."
"—We will—"
"I know..."
Hashirama bent his knee forward and looked up to meet his brother's surprised gaze. "—Bring peace to this damned world of shinobi," he finished. He gave him a determined scowl. "If I can't make sure of that, then my wood will!"
"...A wooden will," he commented softly, in distant comprehension.
"My will may be strong as wood, but it burns like a fire." He saw his brother smile one of his rare smiles. "Does yours?"
Tobirama raised his eyebrows earnestly. "I'm still standing here, aren't I?"
The elder Senju placed his hands on his hips and looked off to the side. The cold he'd felt all morning was nothing compared to the warmth that was now radiating from his soul. He breathed deeply. "Now all we need to do is get Madara to stand here, too..."
Tobirama softly raised an eyebrow in subtle agreement. "And everyone else..."
"We'll stand together! All of us...!" He raised his arms into the air before letting them fall at his side contentedly. "Tobirama..." He placed a hand onto his tan forehead and smiled at the ground. "One day, I will unite the clans...and I want to make sure you and Madara are with me, too. Promise me that neither of you will die before that happens."
"Anija..." He sighed. "I can't say anything about that. For Madara, especially. Right now we are still—"
"Promise me, Tobirama." His dark, pleading eyes met his urgently.
"Well, after almost fourteen years, I have not died yet... I suppose the likelihood for my death in battle continues to decrease as time passes." He returned his look. "The same is true for Madara. Don't worry about him," he said, waving him off, feeling only slightly bothered. "If possible, I'll try not to engage him if I see him again...or Izuna." He saw a flicker of approval cross his older brother's face, and responded accordingly. "But brother..."
He looked at him curiously. "...?"
"Do not hand over your trust completely to him. I did not openly offer my own, when I first approached Izuna that day. Be careful. He may have been your friend, once, but—"
"Don't worry about it, Tobirama," he said, also brushing him off, feeling slightly bothered, just as his brother did. "And if anything happens, you've got my back, right?"
"Is that even a question?" He crossed his arms and looked at the ground near the trees, and soon began to drift off into a haze of deep thought.
"...No," he finally answered, breaking himself off from his own long moment of thinking. Bringing his gaze up to the sky, he slowly smiled. "...I can't wait...until that day... Where everything finally comes together..." True happiness, true love...
True peace...
—-
A/N: The lovely cover picture is by zanazane on DeviantART, so thanks to her for letting me use it!