Umekiyo stared at Izuna, who scowled.
She then looked out the open shogi doors, eyes distant.
The elders, Tajima, and Madara finally stepped in minutes to half an hour later.
Someone cleared their throat, but she didn't bother looking to them. She already knew why she was here. And wh-
"As I'm sure you might have surmised.." came the voice of someone very ready to keel over at any point soon, "We wish the gir-"
"Umekiyo." Madara spoke up, eyes slightly narrowed.
"Yes…" The same voice continued, "We wish one of you young men to wed her."
Izuna choked on his drink, Madara just glared, and Umekiyo took a sip of her tea before she sat it down and just stood gracefully and started to walk out to the open deck.
"Oi!" An younger voice than the last sounded at her, "Where do you thi-"
She had huffed and lifted her kimono layers before she vanished from their sights as Madara's voice, sarcastic and dry, sounded out, "I believe her message is clear enough. And on that note, I also have other things to do."
Later that day, she was sitting on a branch in an outfit much more fit to easy movement and swift actions, if need be, as Izuna landed on the branch next to her with an irritated sigh, "Otousama wasn't that happy with you and Oniisan, you know?"
She merely sighed as she twirled her kunai, eyes on the sky as the white clouds reminded her of the very sick and very injured Senju she was secretly harboring in her private little alcove. I doubt any of you would forgive me for such a thing. If I were to tell them now….
She frowned a little at the thought and turned to look at the Uchiha male with a tilt of her head as she wondered, and not for the first time, if perhaps her sanity had been lost to her as it didn't feel right to tell any of them about the weakened Senju in their midst.
It didn't sit well at all and maybe that was because she knew what would happen to the man if she did tell them about him. He'd be not just imprisoned as a bargaining tool, but tortured, mutilated more so than he was, left for dead in between…
Neglected and unfed and…
She furrowed her brows as bile rose at the back of her throat at the thought before she turned her head away again. What's wrong with me? If I'm found out, my punishment would be worse than death. Branded a traitor and left to rot and be tortured for amusement…
"Ucchan!"
She jolted at the nickname and turned wide eyes to see Izuna's scowl.
She blinked at him and then he growled and sat down on the branch fully, "You didn't hear a single word I said, did you?"
She just shook her head at him in confirmation of his spoken assumptions.
He let out a sigh at her, "It doesn't matter, really. I was just saying that it doesn't make sense to marry you off and now of all times."
She had shifted at that and refrained from rolling her eyes, Because I'm young and of breeding age, you idiot. Oh and this war we're in, perhaps? Depending, I may not have much of a life left. Six months, a year, two, five? Unless I'm off the field and out of 'commission' in order to push out a baby or ten. Just so they can go die on the battlefield in six or so years after being born.
She bit her lip at her turn in thoughts.
Izuna let out another breath, "They tried to use your Sharingan as an example in their favor, by the way. By saying because yours awoken at an early age despite being a woman and are arguably one of the strongest we have, we should utilize you 'now' in that way, as is normal for most young women your age as it will doubt boost our bloodlines."
Umekiyo's scowl was dark and he turned to her, "Otousama brought it up, though. That we would lose a very talented and skilled kunoichi whom the clan painstakingly made one of our best infiltrator and intel gatherer."
She stood at that and jumped from the branch entirely as she made her way outside the area to clear her head some.
To get to her quiet little haven.
Only to stare at the sweating white haired shinobi still on the futon and the bread and water she'd left untouched. She hoped because he hadn't woken and not because he was that stubborn.
She slowly and hesitantly went grabbed the bucket to get him fresh water and filled a bamboo carrier while she was at it.
Not moments later she was easing his head onto her lap so that he was at a safe enough angle to drink down the water she was gently maneuvering to his mouth.
She must have filled the water carrier at least three times before he was no longer greedily taking it down. She then grabbed the cloth that had fallen from his head at some point and then dumped it into the bucket before wringing it and then placing it on his head.
She didn't need to test his forehead to know he was still burning up from a fever. Both the sigh he made at the contact of the cool rag and the warmth from the back of his head was enough of a clue. And, of course, the sweat.
She absently started to run her fingers through his damp white locks again as she eyed where his wound was, knowing full well she needed to check it. And then her eyes glanced to his blue armor with the white fur. I need to probably hide that, just to be safe.
She finally eased him back down to the futon and then shifted to get to his wound and sighed at the blood staining the white wrappings.
And so she set to work, once again, on Senju Tobirama.
Later that night, she cleaned the blood from her hands in the stream, glad she had more than one change of clothes stored away.
She splashed some on her face, too.
Why am I doing this? She wondered as she meandered slowly back to the small cave and sat down wearily with her back to the cool wall as she stirred the broth she was making since she needed to get some sort of nutrients in him somehow and so soup seemed a good enough idea.
She sighed and looked over to him then as he tossed inside the futon a little. Seeing you like this, I could almost forget what you're capable of. Maybe that's what it is.
But somehow even she doubted that as she brought her attention back to the food and tossed a small branch onto the fire underneath the pot. She knew that part of it was because of her upbringing. The lessons of her parents, not her clan.
She bit hard on her lip to distract her thoughts form going there to that night. To those times.
Another rustle of fabric also helped as she glanced over her shoulder to see him half-sit and look around with a lost expression until his hazy crimson landed on her.
Oh for fuck's sake! She cursed as he made to attempt to attack. Though with what, she was glad she didn't find out since she rushed him before he could even form a single sign.
If I'm able to overpower him, then he's definitely out of sorts. She thought as she she managed to grab one of his hands with hers and placed her other on his chest to shove him back down. I swear if you make me re-open that damned wound, Senju…
He landed on his back with a grunt, already with the look as if all the oxygen was knocked out of him. She securely placed herself on his abdomen, knees dug into the futon and toes braced.
His red eyes were already glazed over again and she found she was torn on exactly what to do here.
"Uchi…ha.." He managed to growl at her then as he caught his breath back and glowered up at her.
Well, she supposed that was what he was attempting to do. Instead he looked more like a drenched and disgruntled cat at this moment and a part of her found it almost cute, but definitely laughable.
She tightened her grip on his wrists and applied just a tad more pressure to keep him down and narrowed her eyes on him as if to challenge him.
He had turned his head so that he was full on facing her, she didn't relinquish her hold.
She definitely didn't.
"Why…?" He managed to rasp out and she let out a breath and closed her eyes as she shook her head at him. I'm unsure myself.
She opened her eyes to notice that he was fighting to stay awake with everything he had in him and so she pursed her lips at him and hesitantly released his wrists.
He didn't make a move other than to give her that judgemental look. She sat back slowly, her weight keeping him firm on the ground as she kept herself centered on his lower stomach, her hands now just in front of her.
They kept each other's gazes for what felt like eternity as they sized each other up
Finally, she let out a breath and carefully shifted off him. She checked his wound first, much to his obvious annoyance and discomfort.
Somehow it didn't reopen. She thought with relief as she went to the food and stirred it. And fortunately, this didn't burn. Lucky, indeed.
He refused to take the bowl from her and it took everything in her not to toss it onto his overheating head.
Fucking stubborn asses, all of you! She thought with vehemence and narrowed eyes towards his gender. If I wanted to poison your ass, I'd have done it. No, I wouldn't have even bothered with any of this in the first place.
She quickly stooped over and just shoved it back into his face one last time. Because if you don't accept it willingly, I will force feed you!
His scowl was dangerous and if he weren't weaker than her right now, she'd probably be cowering behind a tree somewhere just to get away.
"I wil-" He had started in a hiss with narrowed eyes on her and so she had taken that opportunity to shove a spoon right down his throat.
His rounded eyes of pure shock made her smirk in amusement.
And then he growled at her, hand made to grab at her wrist. Umekiyo retracted it too quickly for his sluggish movements to even compare.
So she shoved the bowl into his chest and watched as he so very reluctantly and finally took it from her since he hadn't keeled over from whatever it was he thought was in the bowl aside from the food she'd gone out of her way to make.
For him.
Though she wasn't not hungry since she couldn't seem to remember when and if she even ate that day.
She sat back on her legs and started to eat, ignoring his deep set frown as he took her in.
She was wearing a solid black haori serving as a short kimono with a thin red strap of cloth to tie around her middle to keep it closed.
She also had one around her neck and in her hair, to keep it partially back. Though her bangs were down right now, swept off to the sides of her face.
She also had wrappings around her forearms and shins.
She stood abruptly as she just remembered to grab the bread she'd almost forgotten she'd stored. She rummaged through a crate and pulled out a loaf not even two days old and broke off some and handed it to him.
He took it a bit more willingly than he had the soup, which meant very very reluctantly and angrily.
Umekiyo looked to the entrance as she finished out her portion with a frown of her own now. What have I gotten myself into? If they find out…my only options would be to run and hope that none of them ever come across me again, or to face my traitorous death with what little dignity I'll have left to me. Even if the Senju are at all grateful for my 'saving' their precious water user, I doubt they'd be open to giving me sanctuary.
At least not while Butsuma-dono still lives. Hashirama-sama, though…
She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes a moment before she slowly turned to the very cause of her problems only to meet searching and not so hazy anymore crimson eyes.
She tilted her head at him before she took their bowls and put them off to a spot behind the crates. She wearily grabbed at the bamboo container she'd been using for him and went to fill it as swiftly and silently as she could.
Once he'd drank some, did he look to her again, that ever present frown marring his features, "Why are you doing this, Uchiha?"
She scoffed at that as she pressed her back to the same cave wall he was leaning against with a foot between them. Like I've understood it yet myself, Senju.
But in all honesty, she knew the why. She really did. But she didn't think he needed to know or, rather more likely, just wouldn't believe her. After all, she was an Uchiha.
And didn't most Senju think they were without heart, feelings, or emotions? Didn't Senju, the man beside her included, think she was merely soulless with no kindness to them?
Umekiyo let out a breath and brought her knees up slightly and rested an elbow on one as a dull throb started to ache inside her skull.
Probably lack of sleep on her part.
She ignored him when he asked her again and wondered just how often he was going to bother in repeating that question.
She closed her eyes with another sigh and rested her forehead against her crossed arms, I've already chosen to save him for better or worse, so there's no use overthinking this, is there?
She fell down to her right side and curled slightly as anxiety started to creep inside.
She knew she'd have to go back to the clan soon enough and face a very disappointed Tajima. She opened her eyes sluggishly as the fire faded out to a faint dim and so she gritted her teeth and pushed herself up.
She swiftly walked to the wooden bucket and placed it within the man's reach before also leaving dried meats in a drawstring bag, bread, and some fruits on a plate and then pursed her lips as she sat next to him and practically strong-holed him back down to his back and roughly pulled the covers back over him with a glare to match his own.
Rest you ungrateful bastard. She thought with annoyance as she lit a torch so he had some light since she then diffused the fire at the makeshift cooking area. It's warm enough right now that he shouldn't need it to survive. Plus he is very capable of making fire if he needs.
And with that, she once again shot him a look over her shoulder before she darted away. I swear, Kami-sama, if any of you truly exist, then all of you must have some cruel humor.
Author's Note:
Meant to mention this in first chapter, but forgot. I have the story mostly planned out, y'know in my head. So there may or may not be continuity errors. I'm working on rewriting, coming up with new scenerios from old ones to fit, re-editing, etc, etc, to make it 1. Believable, 2. In character. and 3. Just all around fit without it being too...cliche...
I know, I jumped on the Senju Tobirama fell in love with Uchiha woman bandwagon. I wasn't going to, but this stuck in my head and I ended up saying 'hell with it, why not?' Feel free to point out things, good or bad. I don't mind either way. Critique as you see fit, I will not take offense and depending on what is said, I may consent to changing a thing here or there within reason, but not all of everything.
They're like...sixteen right now, too. So please take that into account. This is eight years before Izuna's death, before Konoha became a thing, before Hashirama and Madara were Head of their respective clans, and before Tobirama had invented half of what he's known for.
And feel free to ask me things, too. Either via reviews or PMing. Depending on the question and as long as it isn't non-spoiler to the story, I might answer it.
BUT bottom line, remember this is purely a fanfiction and while I don't mind being critiqued heavily, I just ask you all to remember that. Work of fiction based on fiction sort of mentality. Disagreeing with the storyline or portrayals, or just anything merely just means at this point, don't read.
I'll try to update as much as I can, my main issues have always just been getting the idea down in a workable chapter story based way and not just some random story prompt shorts from the lives of these characters that I think of randomly.
That's all for now, please take care of yourselves either way.
