The Uzumaki join the peace talks fairly early on, to adjust their own treaties now that the Uchiha and Senju have brokered a tentative alliance. Mito, who had been visiting family when this political mess started, returns. She is accompanied by three red headed Uzumaki and a boy that looks to have Kumo descent. The boy is introduced as Uzumaki Naruto, meaning he is one of the few Uzumaki born that inherit the colouring of their non-Uzumaki parent. It's a surprisingly rare occurrence.

Tobirama is reminded, strangely, of Uchiha Sasuke.

The blonde is kind and easy to relax around, making friends easily with everyone who he talks with. It's a useful skill for the treaties and more than once he ends up shattering rising tension, keeping the peace talks peaceful. He acts like an idiot most of the time, not in quite the same way as Hashirama, but there's a sharp intelligence lurking in those blue eyes. He and Hashirama hit it off immediately and he even got Madara to open up to him enough for them to be considered friends. Tobirama knows the boy is chipping away steadily at his own defenses but... he can't bring himself to care. The Uzumaki are allies and have been for a long time- that's not going to change, no matter the result of this attempt at an alliance. At something more.

(Peace, Hashirama calls it, Naruto and Madara just as insistent at his brother's side. Tobirama is more hesitant, less accepting of the ones that killed his younger brothers in cold blood, but he's willing to try.

Has been trying, if the village plans he has stuffed away in his room, in his lab, in his office, are any indication. He doesn't mention these to Hashirama or Madara. Not yet. Not until he knows it'll be a success because if he endorses too much, gives Hashirama too much hope and it doesn't work out, he'll-

It'll destroy Hashirama.)

"A marriage alliance," Rei, Tobirama's favorite elder, offers, bringing his attention resolutely back to the current peace talk. The Uchiha bristle like offended cats and Tobirama's brow furrows in confusion. There was no way they could have insulted the black-haired menaces just by mentioning it. Before it can escalate, before Tobirama himself gives in to his curiosity, the sun-kissed blond speaks up, surprisingly somber and serious.

"That's impossible," he says, and his voice cuts through any rising tension like a hot knife through butter. He's not at all accusatory or derisive but he stated the words like they're irrefutable facts. Tobirama tilts his head and his gaze meets Hashirama's equally confused eyes.

"Why?" Surprisingly, it's Mito that asks. Naruto shrugs but not in a manner that says he doesn't know but rather that he doesn't really understand why he has to explain.

"The Uchiha only marry for love," he says matter-of-factly. "They don't do arranged marriages or anything cuz the freedom to love is a big thing for them." His nose wrinkles, the more serious air dispersing in a moment. "I mean, I don't really understand arranged marriages either. They're stupid."

"Really? Why do you say so?" Rei inquires, honestly curious. Another elder may have been insulted at such a swift refusal, particularly made by someone outside of the clan they were proposing the idea to; she's his favorite for a reason.

"Well, they won't really like each other and they might never like each other so their marriage might fall apart and since the alliance or peace was built on their marriage," Naruto shrugs, letting his words hang in the air. "Seems smarter to just work together on something." He shrugs again but there's an almost mischievous spark in his eyes. "Like, say, a village." Hashirama freezes, jaw slack. Madara splutters, ear tips turning red. Tobirama grows suspicious. First Sasuke with his saving of Izuna and his lie, now Naruto with more information than he should rightly have. Something else is going on here; something bigger that they know.

Later, he hears Izuna ask Naruto, voice sharp, "where did you learn that?" The blond grinned, bright like the sun, and had leaned forward like he was sharing a secret. Perhaps he was.

"A man lost on the road of life, two of them, really, and an utter bastard of a teammate," he says, grin turning impish. It's just loud enough for Tobirama and Izuna to hear but no one else. When those blue eyes flick to him, he knows it's on purpose. Then he skips away, calling loudly for Mito. Tobirama takes the few steps to stand by his former rival's side, both of their eyes still on Naruto as he bugs the Uzumaki delegation about something.

"Whatever happened to Uchiha Sasuke?" He asks.

"Sasuke?" Izuna inquires, tilting his head slightly towards him.

"The one that saved you," Tobirama clarifies after a moment, eyes narrowing in thought. He has a bad feeling about this.

"...I don't know," Izuna says quietly, startling honest. "I never could find him again." They don't speak again to each other but they have an understanding. Sasuke and Naruto are suspicious, no matter how helpful. Any animosity between themselves will be put on hold until they can figure out the truth behind these two strange shinobi. Shinobi that seem to have been trained together, despite how impossible that had been between an Uzumaki and Uchiha. The way they said it implied at least one more teammate, as well. A mystery that demands solving.

The Uzumaki delegation stays with the Senju, as expected, but Naruto disappears, only returning when he wanders into the peace talks. When asks, Mito had only offered a secretive smile and a vague, "oh, he explores, visits friends, you know how it is". Tobirama does not know how it is, something Mito knows, but he's confident not even a boy like Naruto could have friends scattered around in Fire Country when he's never been here before the peace talks. The Uzumaki stay on their island and the ones surrounding unless they're merchants, after all, and Naruto is most certainly not a merchant. He gets nothing else out of the delegation, however, and Naruto seems to have an uncanny ability for timing his conversations with Izuna and Tobirama- now practically on a shared war path -with arguments between the stubborn elders of the three clans.

Then, two days before the Uzumaki leave (Mito staying, of course, to spend more time with her betrothed. Hashirama is elated), he disappears entirely (Tobirama caught the faintest traces of Sasuke's chakra, half-forgotten in the political mire, but both Uzumaki and Uchiha signatures were gone before he could investigate).

iii

Naruto & Hashirama: What do you mean you guys don't have Uchiha friends who you are suspiciously close to?