Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
A/n: This is going to be OOC, I love the idea of sweet Tobirama. The grammar is shit i warn you. English isn't my first language, so bear with me, please.
Izuna had lost everything.
First, he lost his eyesight. He knew he was dying. Madara knew too. So he gave his eyes to his beloved brother. He'd do everything to protect his Clan.
He was ready to say goodbye. He'll die as his clan's hero after all.
Second, he lost his dignity. Or his brother's dignity. No matter how powerful and scary his brother was, his heart was as soft as Hashirama Senju's, probably that was the reason why those two idiots were friends in the first place. His big brother loved him too much he came to the Senju compound alone and knelt on Hashirama's feet in front of the entire Senju clan, begging his sworn enemy-used-to-be-best-friend to heal his little brother.
He knew he was his brother's world. His brother was so full of pride but Kami , he would throw it away for Izuna.
No healer in the Uchiha Clan can heal as good as the Senju. Their poor skills as healers were one of the reasons why so many Uchihas didn't survive because their injuries were treated poorly. Some of them went blind for overusing their Sharingan and the healers didn't know how to fix them.
The blind Uchihas were considered useless, of course. Their eyes were their identities.
As expected, Hashirama brought Madara up to his feet and made him a deal. If Madara accepts his peace offering, The Senju will heal Izuna and the entire Uchiha clan that needs to be healed.
Madara finally took that offer. And Izuna's wound was healed. But no eye donor was available, so he didn't get his eyesight back.
Third, he lost his brother. His everything. He didn't cry. But his heart was shattered. He knew how mad his brother was because of the distrust and the disrespect everyone gave to the Uchiha clan. Hashirama was so kind for pointing him as the Hokage. But everyone didn't trust Madara, so Hashirama took the hat instead. His brother wanted to gain control of the Leaf Village but the other Uchiha were happy to be at peace so they turned on Madara as well. Of course Izuna defended his brother like hell. But he was one of the blind Uchihas now. He can't see, now his voice wasn't heard either. He began to question his existence in his own Clan.
And then Madara was gone. No note, no goodbye, gone. Izuna felt betrayed. He was his brother's world, right? Then why? Izuna never felt so alone in his life.
Fourth, he lost his dignity. Again . And this time was his dignity alone. The Uchiha Clan elders wanted to gain the trust from the village for the Uchiha clan. So they made a proposal to the Senju elders to make a marriage arrangement between Uchiha Izuna to anyone from the Senju clan.
Of course, sacrificing the weakest, useless person from the clan but still the clan's heir was the most logical choice to take.
He didn't say anything, he didn't even react when the elders sent him the news of this duty. If he can be any use for the clan, he will accept it.
He did react when Tobirama Senju offered himself as his betrothed.
Izuna didn't eat, sleep, and think clearly. He didn't understand why him of all people from the Senju clan, who was going to be his husband.
But mostly, why he offered himself as his betrothed. If Tobirama was to kill him in his sleep, he will accept it. Welcome it even. He had nothing left to lose.
Izuna heard the door of their room clicked shut. And then he noticed his husband's presence.
It was their wedding night.
Izuna let out a shaky breath as he began to undo his robe, his back on Tobirama. He knew it should be done, the elders told them that.
He felt the Senju's eyes on his bare back.
"Stop." Tobirama's baritone voice startled him when he was about to drop the robe.
"W-what?" Izuna stuttered when Tobirama's hand caught his right hand and guided him carefully to the bed. Izuna's heart began to race. He was scared .
"Sit. Let me take a look at the scar."
What?
Izuna did as ordered anyway. He quickly covered his crotch with his robe protectively when he felt Tobirama kneeled closely in front of him. Although the wound was healed a long time ago, he knew the scar was still there and it was quite big.
"I may not heal as good as my brother, but the technique that I used on you was by my own creation. I learned and understood it, so I think i can fix the scar." Tobirama said and touched his fingertips on the scar.
Izuna tensed. But still didn't breathe a word.
And then Tobirama's entire palm pressed against the scar and he felt warm chakra flowing through the palm to his scar. The chakra he felt wasn't as warm as Hashirama's when he healed the wound back then. But Tobirama's chakra was still warm anyway.
"Your brother taught you?" Izuna asked, shame washed over him when he heard how small his voice was. Weak .
"There was once a healer in my clan. He was so talented in medical jutsu, he taught me and Hashirama when we were still kids. Hashirama learned the jutsu perfectly and finally, he surpassed him. However, he died one day on the battlefield. Since then, Hashirama and I taught the people in our clan how to heal. Everyone in the Senju clan can heal, at least they understand the basics."
Izuna was very impressed. "The healers in our clan were so bad at healing."
Tobirama scoffed, "Not surprised."
Izuna didn't feel offended.
And they fell into silence. Neither of them wanted to start a conversation.
A few minutes later the chakra on Izuna's side stopped flowing and Tobirama's palm wasn't there anymore.
Tobirama hummed at his handiwork. "It's not gone entirely, it's still there. I still have to work on my medical jutsu."
Izuna put his arm to the scar. He felt the scar was still there, but it was small. His husband's skill was really impressive. "Is this the way you say sorry?" Izuna said without thinking.
Tobirama was quiet for a while. And then he sighed, "Probably. Put on your robe, we will not do anything tonight. Just… go to sleep."
Izuna's eyebrow furrowed. "But the elders said…"
"They're not here, aren't they?" Tobirama asked.
"No, but I thought it's the trad-"
"Do you want it?"
Izuna closed his mouth, and then he answered softly, "No."
And then Tobirama was on his feet. "Then we will not do anything tonight other than sleep. I won't force you to do anything you don't want."
And then Izuna heard him changing his clothes and went to sleep on Izuna's opposite side of the bed.
Izuna was so thankful that the Senju respected him this much. And then he went to a dreamless sleep.
His husband was training Uchiha Kagami.
Tobirama Senju was training Uchiha Kagami.
His little cousin had always admired his husband for a while now.
"Tobirama-sama is so cool and strong, Izuna-nii! I'm glad that he is your husband so i have an excuse to meet him one day!" He said once.
One afternoon, Izuna brought Kagami to have lunch with him and his husband at their house. It was the first time Kagami met Tobirama and the boy didn't stop blabbering how cool he thought the man was. Surprisingly, Tobirama tolerated the noisy boy very well. Until the boy asked him to be his sensei.
Izuna and Tobirama choked on their drinks.
He felt both of their chakras outside the house. It had been 5 months now since the beginning of their student-teacher relationship.
Izuna had always known Tobirama's hate towards his clan, and he was sure the man also knew that Izuna felt the same way towards the Senju clan. But he couldn't understand that anymore. Not when he heard a splash of water and Kagami was laughing with his husband outside.
Izuna stepped outside and their laughs were getting clearer. "Shouldn't you two training now?"
"Izuna-nii! You should've seen Tobi sensei's face when he fell into the pond!" Kagami's cheerful voice was always beautiful to hear. He wasn't even offended by the boy's word that he should've seen his husband's face when he fell into the water. He really wished to see that moment though.
Izuna was now leaning on one of the pillars and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why? You knocked him off?"
"Well, yes of course!" Izuna knew Kagami was grinning.
"You're a sneaky little brat." Tobirama huffed. Izuna heard water dripping from his body.
"Nah, sensei. You're just too easy."
"Hey, show me some respect. I'm your sensei." Izuna heard Tobirama's annoyed voice but he also noticed the fondness behind those words. Dear kami , was his husband fond of this little Uchiha boy?
"You've got beaten by a kid, sensei . You're just too embarrassed to admit it."
"No, I'm not." Tobirama denied.
"Then admit it!"
"No."
"Admit it, sensei! I'm cooler than you now!"
"As if."
"Aw, now I have to look for a new sensei since this one is not cool anymore." Kagami was teasing the great Tobirama Senju. And the man was not even mad at him. He was playing along with it.
Tobirama sighed. "I used to be so respected."
Izuna felt his insides warmed. He didn't know that the Senju could be so… childish, and the interactions between him and his student were just so… cute. He didn't even realize he let out a giggle. He giggled . In front of Tobirama. He slapped his mouth shut with his hands.
This was so awkward he felt Tobirama's gaze on him.
"Why don't you come here so I can train you." Tobirama said to Kagami.
But only silence after that.
Wait
Was he talking to him?
"Are you talking to me?" Izuna asked out loud.
"Yes, why are you so dumb."
He thought he was funny? Izuna growled, "You.."
"Come here."
Izuna huffed, not moving an inch. "Why should I? I was your rival. I am your rival, I'm as strong as you. I don't need you to teach me anything."
He heard Tobirama sighed. "You lost your eyesight. Which means you're going to use your sensory skill more. I'll train you to enhance it."
Izuna was surprised. "What?"
"Ooh! Sensei's sensory skill is amazing! He can sense anything in a wide range!"
Izuna knew. Of course Izuna knew that. He spent most of his life fighting that man, of course he knew the man's abilities. Tobirama was a powerful man indeed.
Izuna's biggest fear was to die by the man's hands. And that fear almost came true. but how ironic, those hands were also the ones that took care of him. Healed his scars, even helped him change the bandages around his head.
"You do it wrong. The bandage is too tight. You want your eye sockets gone too?"
That man was so annoying. But he helped him.
He was still quiet.
"Well?" Tobirama asked.
"Why?"
"I want you to be able to take care of yourself."
"I can take care of myself, thank you very much."
"I know. But at least i know your sensory skill is more advanced so you'll be safe."
Izuna's heart was beating fast. He could feel Tobirama tensed too as if he hadn't meant to say the word out loud.
Kagami chimed in, "Izuna-nii, sensei is right, you know. We know you're a strong shinobi with or without the Sharingan. But we care about your safety and training your sensory skill would be so useful, right? And you'll be trained by the best sensor in the world!"
That kid was exaggerating. He was definitely obsessed with his sensei.
"Are you being serious?" Izuna asked Tobirama.
"Yes." was all his answer.
Izuna sighed. "Fine, but I don't want you to train me with those wet clothes. It's annoying."
And then he joined them.
"Which season is your favorite?" Izuna asked.
"I don't know, probably autumn." Tobirama answered.
Izuna was sitting on a chair in their room, leaning his head against the window. Meanwhile, Tobirama was doing some paperwork on the bed.
Izuna hummed. "My favorite is Spring."
Tobirama was silent. Izuna didn't expect a response anyway.
"Are there any cherry blossom trees here? In the village?" Izuna asked.
"Yes."
Izuna smiled. "When spring comes, will you take me there?"
Tobirama didn't answer, but by the tense chakra he felt from the Senju, Izuna knew the man was surprised by his demand.
"Why?" Finally he said something.
Izuna shrugged. "The reason why Spring is my favorite season is that the cherry blossom tree will… bloom."
"Hn. So you're fond of the tree."
Izuna smiled and nodded. "Yes. They're very pretty." Izuna leaned back on his seat and scratched the bandage that covered his eye sockets, it was getting itchy. "I would've asked my brother to take me there when it blooms. But he's gone, probably will never come back. If you don't want to, then it's fine."
It had been months after their wedding ceremony. Izuna was so tense and uncomfortable at first whenever he and Tobirama were in the same room. But Tobirama treated him… well. Izuna had thought living with the Senju would be hell. He even expected the man would be harsh or abusive towards him since they were former enemies. But the man just proved him wrong. It was the opposite, actually. Tobirama was always polite towards him and kept a respectful distance between them. He had never forced Izuna into anything he didn't want to. He still helped him change the bandage around his head regularly. And now he trained him. And the reason was for his safety . How can his former enemy be this… decent? No. Kind . And… caring .
"It's fine. I'll take you there."
Izuna didn't smile. That man just showed him another glimpse of his kindness again. And then he realized this was a stupid request.
He knew Tobirama was busy helping his brother building this village yet he also spent most of his time taking care of him, training him and Kagami. Izuna regretted asking such an unimportant request. Izuna shook his head.
"No, I take that back. I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask that. You're busy. You already spent most of your time training me and Kagami while you have loads of paperworks waiting for you. They're more important, I can look for the trees myself."
"I'm good at time management if you haven't noticed."
"But still. You can use that time to do your paperworks. You're restless lately."
"Careful, Izuna. It almost sounds like you care."
He had lost his eyesight, his dignity, his clan's respect towards him, and his brother. But with Tobirama here, a Senju , his former enemy, his rival, his husband,...was the only one who he wanted to talk with beside Kagami. The man had become someone he wanted to be with. Because whenever he was around Tobirama, He felt that he wasn't alone after all. Their relationship was getting closer every time they trained. Every time Tobirama changed his bandage, or tested his medical jutsu on his scar, cooked him dinner, and so much more.
Izuna was getting scared if he was being honest with himself, he started to care for the man.
No, he can't deny it anymore. He did care for the man.
"Well, if you don't, then I am."
He didn't regret saying that. Tobirama was quiet.
"You're helping me a lot. You train me, and I feel my sensory skill is getting better. Now I can "see" my surroundings a little clearer, I'm sure I can find the trees just fine. It's … a stupid request anyway."
Tobirama hummed. "Yes. but I'm still good at time management." and then he heard the man continue to do his paperworks as if he won the debate. He kind of did since Izuna didn't argue anymore.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Izuna asked. He heard frustration in his voice.
"Training you? You already know the answer."
"No. Being nice to me."
He was just being nice to him, he shouldn't fall for him , Izuna thought.
He shouldn't fall for him.
"Are you still feeling guilty? For almost killing me?" Izuna tried again.
"Probably that." The man answered.
"We were at war, Tobirama. We were supposed to kill each other." Izuna waited for a response. When he didn't get any, he continued, "When we clashed our swords against each other, I aimed to kill you. Always failed. One time you had the chance and you took it. But all you did was strike my side."
"You should've dodged it."
"That was the problem. You knew I could dodge it. But I didn't. Out of expectation, wasn't it? You aimed to hurt me, Tobirama. You had never aimed to kill me. Why?"
"I love Hashirama too much. I had never liked his idea of peace remembering how many of my people died in the hands of the Uchiha. But my people did that too to your clan. We both lost too much already, and Hashirama's dream of peace started to make sense. I don't want another generation dies because of war. If I kill you, Madara would've gone mad and he would never accept the peace treaty. Hashirama's dream would've never come true."
Izuna let them sink in for a moment. Even Tobirama accepted the peace long before it was made.
"Why did you offer yourself as my betrothed?"
"I know your abilities better than anyone from the Senju clan. You don't have the Sharingan anymore but that doesn't make you any less dangerous."
Izuna didn't know how to feel. This was the first time he heard someone still acknowledge his power after he lost his eyes.
"If I am a threat then why do you treat me like this?" His voice was low.
"I don't consider you a threat anymore."
"Why?"
"I trust you."
He had never expected that coming out from Tobirama's mouth.
"Trusting me doesn't mean you have to be nice to me." He whispered.
Tobirama was silent. And then he got up on his feet, bringing his paperworks with him and stepping out of the room. Before he shut the door close, he said in a low voice. "Maybe I care for you too."
The first time Izuna knew he was falling in love with Tobirama, it was Spring.
Under the Cherry Blossom tree, near the river.
Tobirama kept his promise. He took Izuna there. His Senju said that the Cherry Blossom trees here bloom the best.
They were just standing there, side by side, talking about things. Talking about their brothers, their fathers, their clans, the weather, their favorite food, their fears, their best childhood moments, their worst childhood moments. They talked about everything.
Everything , except their feelings.
Izuna at first thought that he fell in love with the moment . No , he thought after that.
He fell in love with the man.
They were training by the river. Izuna, the stubborn Uchiha, was pushing his limit until he fell because of chakra exhaustion. But as always, Tobirama was there to catch him before he hit the ground.
And before he knew it, Tobirama hauled him into his arms and carried him to the familiar spot. His favorite spot.
Or now, their favorite spot.
They were now sitting below the cherry blossom tree. The cold breeze of spring tickled their faces.
The silence there was comforting.
Izuna leaned slowly to Tobirama.
"I haven't seen your face in a long time," he said softly.
"I know."
"I want to see it."
Tobirama scoffed, "How? You can sense, your sensory skill now is good. But you can't see my face."
"I... can." Izuna slowly raised his hand towards Tobirama's face. "Please." he whispered.
Oh.
Tobirama got the code.
And then he leaned closer until the soft palm touched his cheek.
Izuna let out a soft gasp. He felt Tobirama's scar under his palm. And slowly he began to trace his former enemy's face who he was in love with now.
His middle finger moved from the scar to his temple, his thumb caressed the eyebrow. And then his fingers moved again to the eyelid, careful not to press the eyeball too hard.
Tobirama hummed.
Izuna's fingers traced higher until he felt soft strings of hair.
"I've always wanted to touch your hair." Izuna said. He wasn't afraid anymore.
"You do?" Tobirama asked in a soft voice.
Izuna nodded.
"How is it?"
Izuna smiled. "So soft."
Tobirama chuckled.
And then the fingers left Tobirama's hair to touch his nose. And then moved downwards to touch the thin lips.
Tobirama tensed. Suddenly he felt really warm despite the cold breeze still hitting their bodies.
"I can see without my eyes, Tobirama." He said softly. Their faces were so close. Too close to let this go.
Tobirama leaned forward slowly towards Izuna and kissed the soft lips of his.
Izuna had been waiting for this for a while now. He had enough, and it seemed like Tobirama felt the same too.
And then Izuna kissed back.
The first time Izuna knew he was falling in love with Tobirama, it was Spring.
That was the first time he knew too. He hadn't lost everything.
This fic is inspired by a fanart /photo-159514351_456241164?rev=1
