Check the bottom for more detailed trigger warnings for this chapter if you want them.

CHAPTER 2

Tobirama eyed his brother over dinner, but he couldn't see any signs of anything troubling. He had cleaned up the bodies while Kawarama had been bothering the staff about dinner. It was a traditional omakase menu with dishes he didn't exactly recognize. He wondered how much this would cost the Senju, but it wasn't a negotiable cost.

He scolded himself for letting his mind wander away from the troubling incident. Kawarama was chattering about the food and the other diners and the nice servant girl he'd met.

There was nothing at all in his manner to indicate that he might have deliberately poisoned animals to watch them die.

'And if he did…' Tobirama struggled with his sense of disquiet. It wasn't- it certainly wasn't normal. But neither was it a specific taboo. Overall, it was less impactful than taking a human life. And perhaps it had been an accident. No one had ever taught Kawarama about ornithology. He'd died much too young to pursue education beyond the shinobi arts and literacy. He might have accidentally fed them something that they could not digest.

"Kawarama," he interrupted.

There was a flash of… something in the little boy's eyes. Then he blinked and it was gone. "Niisan?"

"What did you get from the kitchen?" At the blank expression Tobirama clarified, "What did you feed to the birds?"

"Senbei," Kawarama chirped. "Why?" He tilted his face up. The X scar on his face stretched when he smiled. "Birds always like crackers."

Rice crackers… "Plain?" Tobirama asked.

Kawarama shook his head. "They were really salty," he said, scrunching up his nose. "Too salty for me. But the birds really liked them!"

Tobirama relaxed. That… that explained it. "Salt is not good for birds," he educated. "In future, do not give such treats to birds."

"Okay," Kawarama agreed easily.

With the issue solved, Tobirama felt a bit more secure. They would leave the next day. He told the staff so and ignored the way that they shrunk away from him. Civilians were so fragile and sensitive. He meant them no harm, but they were often frightened by his presence.

He explained the years that Kawarama had missed. His brother listened solemnly, nodding and not offering much input. "I know some of this," he offered, when Tobirama paused. "I watched you two, sometimes."

Tobirama paused. He considered his little brother.

'Does he know that we killed Father?'

If he did, there was no sign of fear or anger. Then again, Father was the one who had wasted Kawarama's life. And if he had been watching from beyond the grave, he must have understood why they had done it.

"I see," Tobirama said after a long silence. He inclined his head. "Do you have any questions?"

Kawarama hummed. "Just the one." He blinked up at Tobirama. "Why this sacrilege?"

That was not Kawarama's voice.

Tobirama recoiled. "Sacrilege?" he repeated.

Kawarama blinked rapidly three times and then tilted his head. "Sacri- what?" He honestly seemed confused.

"You said that you had a question," Tobirama said slowly, cautiously. He didn't understand.

His little brother shook his head. "No." His high voice was sweet and childish. "I don't think so."

Tobirama silently determined that they might stay another day or two after all. In the morning, he tracked down someone to inform of the change in plans. It was difficult to find a staff member to tell. They were all hiding, for reasons explicable only to the hospitality industry. Perhaps they were very busy with cleaning up after breakfast.

When he got back to the room he sniffed on reflex. He thought… Tobirama frowned and looked for Kawarama. "Did you injure yourself?"

"No." The child was playing with the kunai that Tobirama had left for him. "Why?"

"...There is no reason." He shook his head. He probably had not smelled blood. Or if he had, it was from the kitchen where they were butchering whatever was for the next meal.

They went outside that day, to the great library. Kawarama ran among the stacks like the small child that he was, whooping with joy that the civilian behind a wooden desk did not appreciate. Tobirama gave the man a stern glare to dissuade any commentary. Tobirama lost himself in books that he had no chance to access at home, and he kept half his attention on the way that Kawarama flitted around, occasionally hefting children's books of mythological tales.

Dinner was a subdued affair that night at the guest house. Tobirama blinked around the dining room and realized for the first time that all the other guests were gone.

Perhaps there were fewer servants because there was less need with only two guests in residence.

'Won't the next nobles arrive in short order?'

It seemed odd, but it was not his business. He put it out of mind and turned his attention back to Kawarama as he picked up a wavering slice of some fatty meat and chomped down.

Tobirama blinked. He'd smelled pork, but the cut wasn't one that he recognized. Something was subtly different about it. He took an experimental bite and let out a pleased sound at the complex flavor.

Kawarama eyed him and smiled. "It's good, isn't it?" He asked. His eyes crinkled. He seemed almost proud for having been the one to try it first.

"It's very good," Tobirama agreed. He ate more of it. They would have to find out what cut it was. He almost felt he could not live without it. The taste lingered on his tongue.

The next day, they left for the clan compound. Tobirama was quiet, internally working through how he would explain the turn in events. Everyone would be shocked to see Kawarama, yes. Of course they would. They must be reassured that he was truly there, not an illusion or other trick, and that he was safe. He was working through his words when a flicker of familiar chakra burst into his range.

He stopped for a moment, blinking. It was probably time to give Kawarama a break from running regardless. He did not seem tired, but children were like that.

"Cousin Toka," he said for Kawarama's benefit. "I feel that she is coming this way. Perhaps she had a task."

"Perhaps she's wondering why you are late to return," Kawarama pointed out with a giggle. "She was always bossing you around. She's missed you."

Tobirama blinked.

He had forgotten that childish phase in their relationship. It was not an inaccurate characterization of how Toka had acted when they were very small. But it had not been true for more than a decade. "Toka is my closest friend," he said, instead of explaining how things had changed. He wasn't wholly sure of the turning point in their relationship. It had been a fact for so long that he was startled to remember that they had once had a fractious relationship.

Kawarama made a sound of comprehension and then began to look excited. His eyes sparkled in the gloam of the forest. "Ne, niisan." He bounced. "I want to see her!"

"We will meet her," Tobirama agreed easily. She would be the ideal person to first reintroduce to Kawarama. She was level-headed. Surely she would be able to help him. He felt his own thrill of excitement that he would get to show her his magnum opus, the only success that had ever mattered.

It wasn't long before she touched down into the clearing. "Tobirama," she started. Then she saw who was with him. Her face went white. She didn't move.

"Hello," Kawarama chirped. "Do you remember me?"

"No," she said under her breath. Toka took a step backwards. "It cannot be- demon, get back. Tobirama, come to me."

Demon?

"That's Kawarama," Tobirama explained defensively. He gestured. "I have been working towards this for years." The look she gave him was full of horror that he did not understand. "I revived him- I healed him," he rephrased, stumbling now. He didn't understand the way she was reacting. Even if it was a shock, he was so small. Kawarama's head didn't reach much past Tobirama's elbow. Surely she could see that he was harmless and sweet.

"Tobirama." her voice broke. "What have you done?"

"A very good question."

Tobirama couldn't breathe. The voice was back, deep and somehow split into multiple registers. And it was coming out of Kawarama's mouth.

"You are blind, mortal, and a thief."

His heartbeat was rabbit-fast.

The person who was not Kawarama, not fully, was looking at him. He wondered how he hadn't seen this truth before. They smiled with Kawarama's sweet face. "I have decided your punishment." He prowled forward. "It won't be for you," he promised sweetly. His breath was coming fast, excited. "Your brothers- this one, when I take him back. The child. And even the one that yet walks- you have sentenced them on your behalf for this sin."

"Get away from him!" Toka had found her courage within anger. She unleashed a wind jutsu that flung the thing in Kawarama away. It hit a tree with a wet, sickening thunk.

"Toka." He clung to her courage. Tobirama took a shuddering breath. His eyes were wide and going dry because he'd forgotten to blink.

A wail cut the air. Kawarama began crying, high and childish. He looked up at them with big wounded eyes that began leaking tears. "Cousin Toka?" He sounded bewildered and hurt. "I don't understand. It hurts. You hurt me."

She gritted her teeth and raised her sword as she walked over to him.

Tobirama grabbed her arm. "That's him," he cried. "That's Kawarama now!" His heart was breaking.

Kawarama slashed at her with the weapon Tobirama had given him. Toka cried out and fell to one leg. She tried to protect herself but Tobirama's grip on her arm was too strong. Horrified, he leapt backwards, dragging Toka along with.

It laughed. Kawarama's body stood with a waver. Light glinted off of inhuman eyes. It grinned at them. "This is Kawarama? No. He is rotting,' it purred. "Falling apart. That's what's true for Kawarama." It indicated the body it was wearing. "This shell is a lie you tell yourself. I am putrid, niisan."

The sweet, childish cadence on the last word put an iron grip around his heart. Tobirama couldn't move. He only watched as the thing wearing Kawarama let the boy's genuine fear crawl forward. This was why he'd been deceived, he realized. Kawarama was genuinely revived. He just wasn't alone. Tobirama cried then and there, tears streaming down at what he'd done.

"I'm sorry," he gasped. Tobirama hit his knees. "Don't punish my brothers, please." He bowed until his forehead hit the ground, more servile and lower than he'd offered the Daimyo. He meant it this time. "I was foolish and arrogant. Please let him return to rest."

Toka let out a cry. Tobirama looked up in time to see her fall, clutching at her chest.

"Hmm. You are humbled now." The god of Death looked at him and it smiled. "But I don't think that I will."

He opened his mouth to argue and then- and then-

Kawarama's head simply fell off. The body dropped to the forest floor, limp. Empty. Victorious.

"Brother." Hashirama landed on the clearing, face white with emotion that Tobirama couldn't process. "What did you do?" His voice shook.

Tobirama could only cry.

Toka made a little sound that caught Hashirama's attention. He rushed over to heal her, fluttering in anxiety and talking rapidly to push back the horror that had to be addressed later.

Tobirama dragged himself over to the body on his hands and knees. He gathered it up onto his lap. It didn't bleed, even split like this. His seal had worked very well to make it solid, though. He rocked it, shook with grief.

Tobirama had a lot less freedom, going forward. Toka never met his eyes again. Hashirama forbid his techniques, and he used a ridiculous amount of his leverage and favors in order to smooth over all the awkwardness of the dismembered servants at the guest house.

Tobirama bowed his head to it. He focused only on killing Uchiha, as was good and proper. He was walking dead himself. There was no hope anymore. Not even hope of reuniting in the afterlife. He had ruined even that.

TRIGGER WARNINGS

cannibalism, violence and death, uhhh eternal damnation I guess