Unholy Matrimony
Tobirama drank his way through his wedding night and barely remembers anything when morning came, which he thought was for the best. What he did remember was:
A devil with eyes as red as blood
Skin as white as snow
And blue black hair
Like raven's wings…
Something must have possessed them that night; it was the only explanation. Their weeks and months of argument hit the breaking point and spilled over in a violent fury. Their chakra sputtered out of control, so tangible it sheared their skin and crackled the wooden walls, but neither cared.
"What the fuck is your problem?! What do you want from me?!" Tobirama roared.
It was the first time he had raised his voice to Madara but now it was either that or he was going to draw his kunai. His home is a nightmare, a bloody battlefield.
"The fuck you know what the problem is!" Madara snarled. "Do you think I don't know what you do behind my back?! The whole damn village knows it!"
"Fuck off!" Tobirama shoved Madara away from him.
What did Madara think was going to happen when he made that perverse demand?!
If not for Hashirama, any clan who had received such an abominable demand would call the Uchihas crazed, unnatural, perverse and be damn with the peace treaty.
Uchiha Madara had the audacity to demand a union with the Head of the Senju clan, Hashirama, after nearly forcing Hashirama to commit suicide when a hand of peace was offered. That aside, to even suggest matrimony between two men? The Uchihas are as demented as they come…all of them; since none had a problem with it. Any clan would have burn the scroll that carry that message.
But this is Hashirama…and Tobirama knows his brother will pay any price, any demand required by Madara no matter how outrageous, to achieve the peace he wanted. Tobirama could not let Hashirama do it. Hashirama was naive and innocent to almost anything that was not war or killing. Tobirama will not let Madara take advantage of his brother.
So Tobirama volunteered, shot down any protest Hashirama raised. He will take his brother's place… A noble sacrifice, his clansmen saw it.
Tobirama loathed Madara. He truly believed that Madara was an evil blown into their world; that he was sent by the devil himself to torment them all; to torture him.
"I did not promise abstinence!" Tobirama shouted. "I sign a piece of paper! Not vow priesthood!"
"A piece of paper?! Is that a Senju's take on matrimony?!" Madara exploded.
"It is if that paper has your name on it!"
The next moment Madara grabbed him and he was slammed hard against the wall. Cruel fingers gripped both his upper arm in a pincer like grip hard enough to bruise. Blood red eyes blazing, Sharingan swirling. Madara's lips were curled, and his expression was savage.
"Did you hear me demand abstinence?" Madara asked slowly, coldly.
Tobirama remained silent.
"If I..." Madara struggled to get the words out; and it looked like it might actually kill him to continue, but he did. "…please you. You will not go to other woman?"
There was half a question in his demand.
For a moment Tobirama stood shell shock, stunned at the sudden turn of event. He didn't know how to respond. Truth, all thoughts had left his mind.
Tobirama simply stared at Madara. He stared still when Madara hesitantly tugged at his yukata. Madara's fingers were trembling Tobirama noticed vaguely. It was all passing as if a dream or a nightmare.
"I haven't showered yet…" Tobirama heard himself saying something stupid along those lines.
It wasn't until Madara was on his knees reaching for his pants that he snapped out of it and grabbed Madara's wrist, hard, stopping him.
Blood red eyes looked upon him.
In the darkness Tobirama could not quite see if Madara's face was red. He would guess it was. Tobirama wasn't rejecting him out of spite or to be especially cruel. Just….no….
"Just…just st-and up" Tobirama said.
Madara stood up; looking away.
Tobirama could feel himself trembling.
"You will not go to other woman" Madara pulled his hand away from Tobirama's grip and nurse it with the other.
Tobirama promised nothing. He left the Uchiha leader; walked as fast as he could to the bathroom. His heart was still hammering wildly. He slammed the door shut and searched for a match. He lights an oil lamp and placed it beside the sink. His fingers gripped either side of the sink.
The hell just happened? He swallowed, looking up at the mirror. He looked exhausted, drained. There was lipstick smear over the side of his pale neck and some red smudges on his white furs. He felt a twinge of guilt but pushed it away at once.
Madara must have foreseen this when Madara reluctantly agreed to the union with him…
It wasn't a secret that Tobirama had a reputation among the Senjus. Not that he had many lovers, he didn't. He had never been an item with anyone. Unlike Hashirama, he didn't enjoy courtship and was uncomfortable with open affection or any declaration of affection.
He just enjoys sex.
He has a reputation of visiting brothels and changing bed partners as if he would to clothes.
And unlike Hashirama again, he didn't need emotion attached to his partner for him to enjoy the act.
Madara is mad if he thinks a piece of paper would keep him from ever enjoying the act again… But Madara had just said he was not demanding that…and volunteered to take care of his needs?
He had never been with a man. The thought made him uncomfortable. As it should. It was unnatural. He knew it happen of course. He was not so naive. But he never took part in it.
He took a quick bath and changed into a fresh set of dark blue yukata.
Madara pretended to be asleep on their futon when Tobirama returned to their room. Tobirama let him pretend. He didn't want to talk to the Uchiha just then. He wouldn't know what to say.
He sat down on the futon, and looked at the Uchiha.
Their marriage is shit. Has been shit from the beginning and it is not getting better. All their words to each other are cruel and angry…. tearing up old wounds and inflicting new ones. That is all they do, tear each other down while trying to be civil enough outside their home to build the village.
While the Senju clan and the entire sane world saw that their union was nothing more than a symbol of unity between their clans….and that piece of paper he signed was just that, a piece of paper, it was not so to Madara and his clan. And truth be told, that piece of paper isn't just a piece of paper to Tobirama. Tobirama thought he could easily treat it as that – a piece of paper, and to hell with what Madara and his clan thought, but… it was taking a toll on him to keep telling himself that it was nothing. It meant something to him even if he refused to acknowledge it.
That argument earlier was the first time they had argued about something that was not about the village or past transgression or their clan or about other people. It was about them… and so it lingered in his mind.
Up till then, there was never a them. They lived as very separate people that happen to stay in the same house and sleep on the same futon. They avoided each other as much as possible. They clean up after themselves and cook their own meals… or rather Tobirama cook his meal and Madara bought take outs because the man cannot cook anything other than camp food.
Anyway… there was never a them…
What change?
Surely it was not because Madara found out he had been visiting brothels. He had done it many times before and Madara knew it. Madara never seem to react much. Cold glares were all he got. Not a shouting match and offer for sex.
There was an Uchiha meeting earlier wasn't there? Madara had them every fortnight. Something must have happened there to rile Madara up.
"What happen at your meeting?" Tobirama wondered.
Madara's jaws tightened, he did not reply. Tobirama did not expect him to. They are incapable of speaking civilly to each other it seems.
Tobirama sighed. He blew the candle out and lay down, pulling the covers over him; his back to the Uchiha like every other night, if both of them came back.
He silently prayed sleep will find him and he would not be visited upon by night terrors. It was not so long since the last war…only mere months. He prayed one day he could just lie down and not wonder if tonight he would once again be woken by the terrors of his mind, could just lie down and not wonder if tonight sleep would find him at all.
How good that would be...
"You are not made of money!" Tobirama snarled.
Apparently sometime after the Uchiha meeting Madara had visited a new bar, gotten into a fight because someone said something to Madara that he did not like to hear and as a result caused major damage to the bar. The bar owner had come to Hashirama for the damages; and of course Hashirama simply paid it. Madara also put six drunken fools at the new hospital and Hashirama decided to cover those bills too. The older Senju was just grateful that Madara didn't kill anyone.
"It is not a big deal" Hashirama said.
"Anija!" Tobirama snapped; he was quickly losing his temper if he hadn't already. "There has to be consequences to his actions. He cannot be let to do as he pleases. We have rules that we must follow if we want to build a village. What example are you setting by simply letting it go? That some people are more deserving of special treatment than others?"
"That is not important right now" Hashirama said. "There are more urgent things for me to discuss with you"
Tobirama stilled at Hashirama's tone. He folded his arms and dropped the topic for the moment. "More urgent things" usually meant a threat of war. The Daimyo had not approved of them forming a shinobi village; seeing it as a threat. An organize military force gearing to take over the Land of Fire and instilling a new system with the shinobis as the head. Samurais have been seen at their borders for weeks, ready for an invasion. Hashirama has been trying to reason with the Daimyo…
Had there been new development… and one for the worse?
If so, then where is Madara? It was too much to hope that Hashirama had woken up and realized that Madara would only make things worse with his belligerent attitude and decide to keep him out of the loop on this one.
"What has happened?" Tobirama prepared for the worst.
"That is what I want to know"
"I don't get your meaning. Has the Daimyo -"
"It is not about that. It is about..." Hashirama stopped. "Um, there is no way to put this lightly…."
Tobirama could feel the coming of another argument and headache. He knew what Hashirama wanted to talk about and quite frankly he would rather not…ever. It made him uncomfortable to even put it in words. To even hear it…
"Everything is fine between us" Tobirama gave his usual respond.
"You don't need to lie" Your marriage is a complete disaster and everyone knows it went unsaid.
"We are working through things, and it will take time"
"You are my brother and he is my friend. I don't want either of you to be miserable" Hashirama said.
Tobirama resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Is this sentimental nonsense the urgent matter that you wished to discuss?"
"It is not nonsense!" Hashirama snapped. "You think me a fool to put stock in emotions. You think a proper shinobi should be nothing but flesh and bones, a killing machine without a heart, a weapon…but that is what started the endless cycle of death isn't it?! Because no matter what you say, what we are taught a shinobi should be, we do act on emotions. We are not creatures made of stones"
"What are you trying to say? That I am like the older generation that perpetuate war?"
"I am trying to say that there is value in human emotion. And that we need to deal with them appropriately rather than act as if they do not exist. Or it will fester and twist into something unrecognizable"
"You speak in riddles" Hashirama heaved a sigh, standing up from behind his desk.
"You act as if Madara is without emotion and you are openly hostile to him. I do not think that is healthy"
Tobirama pinched the bridge of his nose, debating if he should just walk out of Hashirama's office. These sentimental talks always made him uncomfortable.
Hashirama continued. "I do not think Madara is blameless, but…"
"But what?" Tobirama challenged. He is not backing down when they have an argument and he is definitely not letting Madara walk all over him. That is not going to happen even if it meant a more peaceful co-existent.
"You don't need to win every battle to win the war" Hashirama said. "I want you and Madara to be happy…both of you deserve it"
"You are asking for the impossible"
"I am not. I will speak to Madara and his clan to end this union if you wish. And come up with a different arrangement"
"What arrangement do you suggest? Have Toka engage to Madara instead? Have another be the sacrificial lamb?" Tobirama snorted. "That is not like you"
"I think Madara will be happier with me"
"No!" Tobirama said at once.
No! No! No! He took his brother's place and suffered through the weeks and months so that Hashirama will not have to. He will not have all of that render meaningless.
Hashirama says that Tobirama deserves happiness? Well, Tobirama thought the same for Hashirama too. Hashirama deserves to be happy, with someone that could give him heirs and treat him right. Madara would never be that person. Madara is twisted beyond words.
And besides, the breaking of their union may just break their alliance with the Uchihas. Madara's deteriorating reputation among even his own clan aside, the Uchiha clan does place importance on their union. To simply pass from one brother to the next...he doubts the Uchihas would take that lightly.
It is quite insulting to simply pass the raven from one brother to the next like used goods - a hand-me-down, when he thinks of it. The Uchihas will surely see it as an insult whether they still respect Madara or not. Madara himself...God knows how his thought processes even function. He doesn't even want to hazard a guess.
"Tobi…"
"Do that and you will divide the Uchiha clan even more. Or worse, if Madara decides to leave, some of his clansmen may opt to follow him. We are at the verge of war with the Daimyo. We are going to need as many shinobis as we can get if a war breaks" Tobirama said. "We are handling it just fine"
"Just fine?" Hashirama sounded incredulous. "I can feel both your chakras all the way from the Senju compound last night and not because I possess sensing abilities. Any shinobi half train could feel it. I would have gone over if Toka hadn't stopped me"
Tobirama's face hardened. If it was as bad as Hashirama described it, then the whole village must know that Madara and he had a big argument; which explained the strange look of pity that he had been receiving all morning since he left the house.
"It won't happen again. We will be more mindful" Tobirama said.
"That's not the point"
"You do not need to worry about me ending in a body bag" Because that is more likely than the alternative.
Hashirama was unconvinced. "I am going over if things get out of hand again. I will speak to Madara then. And about what he thinks of a new arrangement"
A jolt of panic clenched Tobirama. He doesn't want Hashirama to see the worst of him and he definitely doesn't want Hashirama suggesting his new arrangement to Madara. If Madara agrees, then he was back to square one. He will not push his nightmare onto his brother. If Madara sees it as an insult, which Hashirama certainty did not think it is because his brother only ever have good intentions and simply wanted to help...he rather not think of what would happen then.
"Just stay out of it" Tobirama said.
"No" Hashirama tell him. "This has gone on long enough. I will not stand idly and watch both your lives fall apart. I will put a stop to it whether you wish it or not"
The sun was high and the sky was blue without a wisp of cloud. The leafs rustled as a gentle breeze caresses through the forest. The village was bustling, the children were out and about, running, playing.
Hashirama went to the top of the cliff where he knew he would find Madara. The Uchiha was there, sitting at the edge that overlook the slowly growing village by himself. A lone figure…
"If I hadn't known better, I would have thought you were avoiding me" Hashirama went up to his friend.
To his surprise, Madara was drawing in a large sketchbook. Its pages were bound by braided roots, and its brown cover was tattered leather. The view of the village from the cliff had been roughed in on the page, and it was rendered with considerable skill and delicacy.
"You are blocking my light" Madara muttered.
Hashirama chuckled, lowering himself to sit beside Madara so that he would not cast a shadow over Madara's page. Madara's eyes were onyx without his Sharingan. Hashirama quite like it. It made Madara look less severe.
"This is amazing" Hashirama commented at the sketch. "I didn't know you could draw"
Madara shrugged nonchalant, but clearly pleased by his praise – at least to Hashirama.
Madara continued to draw with his charcoal as Hashirama watched him add one line after another with interest. When Hashirama looked up at Madara, the Uchiha internally sigh.
"Are you well?" Hashirama asked gently.
"It will be wise for you to drop that topic at once or I swear I will throw you over this cliff" Madara puts down his charcoal and flipped to a clean page harder than was necessary.
The sketch from earlier was only half done.
"Be still now" Madara ordered, as he shifted a few pace away from Hashirama. "I want to draw you"
"Whatever for?"
"So I would have something physical of you to keep" Madara cross his legs and place the book on one on his thigh.
Hashirama tensed. "What do you mean? We have this village…you are not going anywhere are you?"
"No" Madara began sketching Hashirama's features. "But we are going to war. Does it never occur to you that you might be killed?"
"We are not going to war against the Daimyo"
"Be quiet" Madara pursed his lips as his fingers made short quick lines.
Hashirama sat quietly for a few minutes, thinking over Madara's words. Him dying…it was something he never thought of. It is certainly a possibility. Hashirama just need to make one unlucky slip and he would fall as surely as the next shinobi.
"Do you not trust in our diplomatic ability?" Hashirama asked.
"Trust have nothing to do with it" Madara shaded in Hashirama's warm eyes that had always looked upon him with kindness and trust, in place of scorn or fear. Those warm eyes that never doubt, never judge no matter what he did…
After a moment without looking up, Madara said suddenly "I am a stranger in this place…"
The bar was empty when Tobirama entered. It was to be expected. It was mid-afternoon. The owner looked up from behind the counter, a cloth and an empty cup in his hand.
"A bit early for a drink don't you think senju-sama" He smiled, wiping the cup in his hand. "Though suppose it can't be helped. What will you have?"
"What's the number on the betting pool?" Tobirama went to the counter.
"Betting-"
"It is not exactly a secret that the whole village is betting how long Madara and I will last" Tobirama said in annoyance. There was no relationship that garner more attention and was more talk about in this whole place than Madara and his.
"Ah…"
"I want to get on it"
"You wish to bet against yourself?" The owner slung the towel over his shoulders and placed the cup down.
"You heard me"
"Well, this is unexpected" The owner rummaged through a drawer beneath the counter and pulled out a thick book. "As of last night, most are betting you two won't last a month"
He took out a pen and flipped the book open. There were lists of names, numbers, words describing their stakes. He searched for the right pages.
"Didn't take you for a betting man Senju-sama. I thought that was just your brother" The owner commented.
"I am not a betting man"
"Oh?" The men pushed the book to Tobirama and held a pen to him.
Tobirama took the pen and wrote on the empty space at the bottom of the page:
Tobirama Senju states that his relationship with Uchiha Madara will last till death do they part. He stakes five million yen on the truth of this.
Five million yen was more than a year's income if his mission payment remained as they are. He hadn't got five million yen with him, but it didn't matter. He is not a gambling man. He does not deal in chance. He will not lose.
The owner raised his brows when he saw what was written.
"You should spread the news that I have joined in on the bet" Tobirama said and left.
He did not know what everyone thought happen last night but he was sure that by now, there were a hundred different version of what had happened.
He was sick of everyone looking at him with pity, offering him comfort, suggesting how perhaps he could attempt to 'fix-things'. Some Uchihas told him they would understand and will not be offended if he decided to end the arrangement; others offered to cover for him if he wish to visit the brothel again next time and that they understand. Some thought it handy to suggest him getting chocolates or flowers and some blamed Madara.
It annoys him that his relationship was what everyone choose to talk about and it infuriates him to know that everyone was so sure that it was going to fail when neither Madara or him ever indicated that they thought of the possibility of their arrangement ending. It will not come to that…because he cannot let it.
He will not have Hashirama pick up his burden. He will not divide the Uchiha clan or risk the possibility to Madara going against them because he can admit that it is better to fight along the Uchiha Clan and certainly Madara rather than against them or him.
He will make it work or die trying. And since the people love to speak of his relationship so much, he would give them something to speak of. He'd love to see their expression when the bar owner tattle to anyone who cared (which was everyone) that he had joined the betting pool.
At least when the word gets back to Madara, which he knows it will, Madara will get his message – that he does want the relationship, that he does want to make it work, without him ever saying a word.
He isn't man of words, so this will do.
Author's Note: The setting for this is before they actually name the village. They just started the village and had not quite gotten all the way there yet. They still need to convince people that this new idea was going to work and it is not a threat. I think people are threaten by new ideas that are different to what they have always known.
I love this pairing and it is sad that there aren't many fics with them together.
I think Tobirama and Madara are very similar to each other in quite a number of aspects but also not really. I think they are both stubborn, morally questionable with a 'whatever it takes' attitude and overly confident with themselves - this is just my opinion. I am not sure if that is what Masashi Kishimoto intents for them to be - so some people might disagree on my take of their character.
Anyway, decided to write this story and get it out of my system. Note that I am also going to be doing some creative licensing with the characters, so...yeah, their character will not be 100% canon with the manga. But I do want to try to get them as close as possible (not always succeeding) because I do like Tobirama and Madara's character as they are. They are very strong characters with strong personalities and they are not the victim of circumstances. None of them are damsel in distress :) - again just my opinion.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry about the rant...