DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS/PLOTS. I ONLY OWN MY OC'S.
"Hey brother! Do you still believe in one another?
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love I wonder?
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do."
Hey Brother by Avicii
Izuna
Izumi was wiping Izuna's face with a wet towel when she heard the door slide open.
"Hey Kazuyo."
"…How is he?" She asked in a tired voice.
"He's burning up with a fever." Izumi moved her hand away from the towel and stood up to look at the window. "I've tried everything. I tried healing him with my iryo-ninjutsu but
it didn't work." She clenched her hands into fists, her face hidden by her hair.
"Izumi…"
"I don't understand." Izumi placed her hands against the wall. "I don't understand! Fate's already taken away my brothers, my father!" She raised her fist and slammed it against
the wall. "Why Kazuyo? Why?!" Her fist was raised again and this time, she punched the wall with chakra, resulting in the room to shake from the force of the punch.
"I'm frustrated too Izumi-"
"No, you don't understand! He's my twin, my other half! I don't know what I'm supposed to do if he's gone!" Izumi took a shaky breath and took a step back.
"You think you're the only one grieving?" Kazuyo walked up to her and grabbed the front of her shirt. "I love him just as much as you do. Sure, I don't know what it's like to lose a
twin, but I'm about to lose the man that I love." Izumi pushed her away and walked towards the door.
"You don't understand after all… You'll never understand." And with that she walked out of the room. Izumi didn't want to stay in the compound; all of her clanmembers would stare at her in pity and sadness. No, there was only one place she could go.
The river.
Izumi was breathing hard by the time she reached the river; she did run there after all. She looked around and noticed that Tobirama wasn't around, even though she was slight disappointed about it she continued running to the overhang. When she reached it tears were falling freely from her eyes and Izumi didn't even bother hiding the sound of her crying.
"Why?! Why?!" She screamed into her hands. Her heart was breaking into two and it was so painful. Izumi clenched her chest, as if in pain. She fell to her knees and screamed.
"Izumi?" Her head shot up from hearing Tobirama's voice. "Are you okay?" She wiped her face and started fixing her clothes.
"Hi Tobirama." He walked over to where she was sitting at and froze.
He wouldn't say it out loud but looking at her he noticed that Izumi was a mess, her eyes were swollen and red and she had dark circles under eyes from what had to be a lack of sleep.
"…You know how it's like to lose someone close to you…right?" She suddenly asked. He slowly sat down and thought about her question.
"Yes, I've lost members of my family." (Itama, Kawarama, his father, his mother.)
"My brother's dying, my twin." Just saying this caused tears to form in the corner of Izumi's eyes. "A-And we can't do anything about it, his stab wound is too serious. T-There's infection setting into it and his body's too weak to fight it off." She raised her hands to her face to hide it. "What am I supposed to do Tobirama? No one can heal
him, our iryo-nin's can't. I c-can't live without him, I wouldn't know what to d-do." She was sobbing by the time she finished talking Tobirama was left speechless. He didn't know what to do; he wanted to comfort his friend-
(Wait, she wasn't a friend; she was a…acquaintance, yeah, that's the word. She can't be a friend; she's an Uchiha for Kami's sake… Right?)
"I'm scared Tobirama… I'm so scared…" Hearing her broken voice caused something in Tobirama to snap. Without a second thought, he moved his arm around Izumi and pulled her into his arms. She needed this, to be comforted. He may not be the help she needed, but he would do as much as he could to help the girl sobbing in his arms. He moved them up and down in a comforting motion on her arms (she was so small compared to him; it was almost like she disappeared in his arms and chest when he held her). But Tobirama knew that what he did was the right thing when she gripped the front of his shirt and cried into it.
They were there for about an hour when Izumi finally calmed down enough to start talking again.
"T-Thank you, I guess I just needed someone to give me a hug." Izumi said with a sniffle. Why wasn't she better at iryo-ninjutsu? There was no one else in the clan to save him and it's not like she could go to another clan… Wait.
"T-That's it!" She turned around and gripped Tobirama's shoulders. "The Senju are well known for their iryo-ninjutsu, can you heal him? Can't you heal my brother?"
His eyes widened from her sudden question. "Oh." He breathed out. "I'm sorry Izumi but I can't use iryo-ninjutsu like that, I can only heal minor wounds, nothing serious." His brother on the other hand could heal near fatal or fatal wounds without batting an eyelash.
The belief of her brother's survival faded from her eyes in its place was hopelessness.
"…Oh." She said, dejected. Her hands slowly fell from his shoulders and looked away. "I'm sorry, that was a stupid question." She turned around and started walking away, her voice lacking emotion. "I think I should start heading back, my older brother's going to wonder where I am. Bye Tobirama." The moment Izumi took a step forward she felt Tobirama grab her hand.
"Come back here tomorrow. I'll try to find something to help with your brother's wound. We hold many ointments and medicines for stuff like that."
"Really? You'll do that for me?" Tobirama could hear a slight raise in her voice, causing his eyes to soften.
"It's the least I can do."
The Next Day
Izumi groggily opened her eyes as she remembered where she was. She was in Izuna's room, making sure that he was okay.
Well, as okay as he could be.
Noticing that her throat was parched, Izumi stood up and made sure her brother was sleeping so she could go get a drink of water from the kitchen. Sliding open the door, she quietly walked down the hallway and noticed that her older brother Madara was already in the kitchen doing something.
She greeted him. "Hey Madara." He turned around and she noticed something was off with his stare. He was looked at her, but at the same time it didn't look focused on
her. "Are you okay?"
"Of course, why?" She narrowed her eyes and moved her hand to the kunai in her pocket.
"You're lying." She wrapped her hand around the hilt of the kunai and suddenly threw it at him. Madara activated his Sharingan and moved to the side to avoid the kunai.
"What the hell was that for?!"
"You just confirmed my thoughts." She walked towards him and placed her hands against the side of his head to look at him in the eye. "You can't see very well."
"What? Of course I can-"
"If you could, you wouldn't have to use your Sharingan to avoid that kunai. What's happening Madara?"
He stayed silent and pulled away from her hands. "Nothing's wrong Izumi."
"It's the Mangekyō, isn't it? Overusing it is causing your eyesight to deteriorate."
"...Izumi it's fine-"
"Damn it, why didn't you say anything earlier?"
He ran his hand across his face. "Because I didn't want you to worry. We have bigger things to worry about than my eyes right now."
Izumi sighed and walked past her brother to the sink. "...Alright. Well, can you or Kazuyo watch Izuna for a little? I need some time to myself." She gripped the edge of the sink and closed her eyes. She prayed to Kami that Tobirama had found something, anything, to help with her brother's wound.
Without saying anything else, she left the house and went straight into the woods towards the river.
When she reached the river, she saw Tobirama already waiting for her, putting a smile to her face.
"Tobirama!" Izumi shouted out. She hurryingly ran to the overhang but when she saw Tobirama's face, her smile disappeared and she slowed down to a walk.
"I'm sorry Izumi." He clenched and unclenched his hands.
"…It's okay." She looked back up and noticed that Tobirama looked…conflicted? "Is everything okay?"
"My brother…" He took a deep breath. "He caught me looking for the medicine and started questioning me because…um…he knows that whenever I am wounded, I go to him to get it healed. So he immediately turned suspicious and I…" He trailed off. But Izumi guessed what had happened.
"…You told him didn't you?" He winced and turned his head to the side.
"I'm so sorry Izumi, I didn't mean to."
"Did he say anything about it?"
"Well-" He suddenly froze and looked at something behind her.
"Yes, I told my little brother that I would heal your twin." Izumi's eyes widened and by reflex she activated her Sharingan and whirled around. She felt fear creep up on her when she saw the person standing in front of her; it was a man with long brown hair and was at least half a foot taller than her.
Senju Hashirama.
"Brother? What are you doing here?" Tobirama asked. He moved to stand in front of Izumi. "How did I not sense you?"
"Are you really going to ask me that Tobirama?" Hashirama started laughing. "And I had been wondering where you were going all the time and it was to see a pretty lady." He turned his eyes to Izumi and smiled. "You must be Madara's youngest sister right? I'm Hashirama."
Her eyes widened from shock. This was Hashirama? The man that was as strong- if not stronger than her brother? "I-I'm Izumi."
"Well, I kind of cornered my little brother into telling me why he needed antibiotic ointment. I'm pretty sure you didn't want anyone to know to know about your brother and for that, I am sorry." He said, looking quite apologetic. Seeing this, Izumi deactivated her Sharingan and loosened her muscles.
"It's fine, but what did you say earlier?"
"I know that the Uchiha are not that good at iryo-ninjutsu, and I am willing to heal your brother." He suggested. Despite that being exactly what she needed, Izumi knew that there was a hidden motive behind the healing.
"You want something in return."
He opened his eyes and Izumi knew she had been right. "Of course I do."
"What is it?" Izumi demanded. She would do anything for Izuna, even if it meant betraying her clan.
"Don't worry, it's nothing bad." Hashirama walked towards her and gently pushed Tobirama aside. "All I've ever wanted is for peace for our clans. Madara seems to have forgotten that dream, but I haven't."
"Hashirama-"
"Please give this to your brother." He placed a scroll in her hands and smiled at her. "If he agrees to peace between our two clans, then I personally will heal your brother."
As Izumi walked back to the compound, she looked at the scroll in her hands.
Peace, that all she's ever wanted. She didn't want to see children or loved ones dying. She's seen things that most people shouldn't have at her age. Izumi was so tired; all she wanted was this pointless war to be over.
This scroll in her hands? It could be the answer to her prayers.
"What will I tell my brother? I can't just walk up to him and tell him I was meeting with Tobirama."
"Tell him that you just happened to see me at the river and that I knew about your twin. There shall be no mention of my little brother."
She gripped the scroll tighter and saw that her house was only a few feet away.
This would save her brother and her clan. It was for the better good.
She pushed opened the front door and saw that her brother was alone in the kitchen.
"Madara."
He looked up and smiled. "Izumi, how was your walk-"
"It doesn't matter, read this." She pushed the scroll into his hand.
"What is this Izumi?" He asked as he looked at the Senju symbol on the scroll.
She took a deep breath and braced herself. "I was walking along the river and Hashirama was doing the same thing at the same time. I tried to run away but he mentioned Izuna and I…I listened to what he had to say." She made sure to sound angry and scared. "Just read the scroll, please." She pleaded as she sat down in the chair across from Madara's.
He scowled but listened to her. He opened the scroll and the two were surrounded by silence for a few minutes as he read it.
"No."
Izumi's eyes widened and she stood up, pushing the chair behind her. "What do you mean no?"
"There is no possible way that we can have peace between the Senju and Uchiha." Madara said calmly.
Izumi slammed her fist against the table and leaned towards her brother. "He is willing to heal Izuna! We should just agree to the treaty!"
"I am not agreeing to this and that is final. We are trying everything to heal Izuna; we don't need to stoop so low as to get another clan to heal him."
"What the fuck Madara?" Izumi pointed to the scroll. "This will save Izuna! Have you forgotten? Izuna and I are the only two left of your family!"
"Because of them! They killed Arata, our father, do you not remember?!"
"And we've killed Hashirama's family! Four of them! You don't see him screaming that at the top of his lungs!" Izumi felt tears run down her face. "Please Madara, I need Izuna, don't you see? I don't know what I would do without him! Can't you see that?"
"…Leave. I need time to think about this."
"Madara-"
"I'll think about it again so just leave Izumi." Listening to her brother, Izumi walked out of the kitchen and into Izuna's room.
"Is everything…okay Izumi?" She looked at her brother and saw that he was awake.
She walked towards his futon and kneeled down. "I'm sorry, did we wake you up?"
"It's…alright. What happened?"
"We may have found a way to heal you, but Madara's too stubborn to realize it."
Izuna closed his eyes. "There's…no point. I am about…to die, and I know…it."
"Izuna-"
"Promise me that…you won't get mad…at Madara."
"For what?"
"…He is getting…my eyes." Izumi's eyes widened. "He's…told you about…how he can't see. By giving him…my eyes, he'll…be able to see…again."
"Izuna-"
"It's the…last gift…I can give him. I have…a gift for you…but you won't…be getting it until…later."
"Please don't talk like you're going to die, you might survive!"
"I know…I won't Izumi…"
"But…"
"I love you Izumi…please don't…forget that."
Izumi felt a tear fall from her cheek, causing her to clutch onto her brother's hand. "I love you to Izuna, more than you would ever know."
One Week Later
Izumi's legs dangled over the overhang while the wind flowed through her long hair, letting her feel the wind brush against her scalp. She felt as if the weather was mocking her, it should have been raining or thundering, it should have been cold. But no, it was the total opposite. The sun was shining, there were no clouds in sight, the air was cool.
Yet, this was the only place where she could feel at peace despite everything happening.
It was His funeral, and they weren't there. Madara was recovering from the transfer, so he couldn't have gone. Izumi was too grief stricken to go, it took all her willpower just to get out of bed today.
"Izumi?" She didn't bother turning around to see who it was because she already knew. He didn't bother to hide his presence while coming here and she already knew his voice.
Izumi balled her hands into fists. "He's gone." She said. "Madara was too late to agree with the treaty. Not like it would have mattered, Madara burned the scroll the moment he found out." She felt Tobirama sit next to her but she kept her eyes shut. "…I'm so lost; I don't know what to do without him." She whispered, almost inaudible. "I still feel as if he is still here, as if he was next to me, laughing." Images of her getting into fights with Him or getting carried on his back flashed through her mind. So many memories of them together bombarded her until one caused her to break.
It was Izuna giving her an honest smile, one full of joy and love.
Izumi opened her eyes and looked to her left to see the red eyes of a man that she had gotten used too. There was so much warmth…so much understanding. "Tobirama…" She choked out. She could feel the tears about to overfill the brim of her eyes.
That's why Izumi was shocked when she suddenly felt arms around her and a chest against her face. Tobirama's arms tightened around her.
She clenched her eyes shut and leaned against his chest. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his body and gave in to the warmth that he was emitting, causing the tears in her eyes to fall.
"He's gone forever…Izuna's gone…" She said into Tobirama's shirt as she cried.
The one person who probably knew her more than Izumi knew herself was gone forever, leaving behind a devastated twin sister, a shocked older brother, and a heartbroken fiancée that held a secret.
A/N: This chapter was VERY VERY angst, and for that, I don't apologize (hehe). I hope you at least enjoyed this chapter, because I know I was about ready to rip my hair out with that last paragraph. I was so conflicted, I was like "Should I let Izuna live?" but then at the same time I was like "Izuna needs to give his eyes to Madara because of things" so I decided for him to die.
Sorry, but not so sorry.
I know I should be asleep but I felt that I should at least finish this chapter and update it because I had the weekend but didn't do that. (I told myself that I would finish this by Saturday, but guess who was wrong? Me.)
I can't say that this was one of the good chapters I've written, but it can't be that bad. I hope. *Tear*
Ink by Amanda Sun is this chapter's recommendation! I thought that this was an interesting story because instead of the typical Greek or Egyptian Mythology stories wrapped around modern times, it was a Japanese Mythology one. Don't find many like this one (sadly).
So leave a review and a follow/fav. if you haven't!
Until next time!~
Uchiha
Izumi: 18 years old, 5ft 7in
Izuna: 18 years old, 5ft 9in
Madara: 22 years old, 5ft 11in
Kazuyo: 20 years old, 5ft 6.5in
Senju
Hashirama: 22 years old, 6ft 1in
Tobirama: 21 years old, 6ft