Time Heals All Wounds
Summary: The day Tobirama died happens earlier, during Hashirama's time as Hokage when they are at war with almost every new village but years after Madara's death. Only he didn't die. He somehow ended up in a time not his own and met a familiar face he though gone forever. Can he get back? And what of his new friend?
The house was truly ruined, Tobirama thought with a sad heart. Madara's little escape from his family was all but destroyed and it was his own fault. Madara refused to see it as such, but the Senju knew how to admit his own fault in something. He was responsible for the fact that Madara would have to return to the house from which he had run in the first place because Tobirama had returned here for his weapons.
Still, Madara didn't even seemed nearly as fazed by this as he had thought he would be. The Uchiha had only ran into the house to find Kurama and his school books and homework and a bag of clothing before he had come back out just as the police, the fireman and medics arrived to invetigate the scene.
Despite the thrilling - and incredibly sad - fact that Madara had awoken his Sharingan again, the teen had no idea how to use it. Like with any Uchiha, it had come in the spur of the moment, when he had needed it to protect someone and when he had been under great emotional duress and until he had proper training or recovered whatever memories and experience he had brought with him from his former life, Madara was as new to the Sharingan's possibilities as Kagami had been when he had awoken his. Only Madara didn't have anyone there for him to lead him through this new change in his life. Tobirama knew only so much about the topic and his knowledge on it was either how to fight it or second hand at best. Madara would not benefit from such a thing.
Luckily for them, Tobirama had managed to seal all five strange weapons that the brothers had left behind upon being sealed in one of them inside his strongest storage scroll before the authorities arrived. Equally as luckily for them, the firemen had declared it a gas leak or some sort and the medics agreed that it is both the shock and the gas that had made people hallucinate the strange events they hysterically reported. Tobirama played along, saying he had seen much the same while a woman was rearranging his ankle which he had not had time to heal in face of much more urgent matters. The medics wrote it off as people just repeating the same thing the first person had said because their brains were trying to protect them from the trauma created by the fear and how dangerous the whole event could have been.
Madara also played along when he let himself be checked over, though he gave less details so he could confirm the growing theory that they just overheard each other's stories and recounted the same thing so as not to see crazy in the face of lack of actual 'repressed' memories. The medics were even kind enough to check Kurama, though the fox seemed strangely fine, if a bit dirty. Madara was still covered in the dirt and sooth from the store explosion so at least it was believable he was a victim in all of this, too, and no one would believe he had been fighting like a ninja just moments ago. Certainly not when the teen was so tired.
"My home," the boy muttered some time later, after they had both been checked over and the house was taped off to prevent anyone from entering in fear that more gas was leaking somewhere and just how dangerous it could be for anyone's help. The black haired male looked lost, sounded lost, even, and Tobirama felt shame when Kurama seemed to snuggle in his owner's hold to give him some form of comfort.
"I am sorry," Tobirama said as sincerely as he could manage, hand hovering over the boy's shoulder until the fox turned to give him a withering, warning glare. He hesitated for a second longer before daring the fox to bite him when he let it rest on Madara's shoulder. Strangely enough, that seemed to please the animal and it settled again, yipping and purring as best as a fox can in order to be soothing to the teen.
His apology snapped the teen out of his daze and Madara looked up at him, seeming to remember his presence. He gave an awkward smile that didn't hide just how much he was dreading his own words. "I guess we'll have to return to my family's house."
"I'm sorry," he repeated but Madara waved him off with no attempt at deception that it was fine. It wasn't but the student didn't seem to be blaming him.
"It's not your fault - it's not," he snapped when Tobirama went to contradict him. "This would have happened sooner or later. The fact that it was two crazy ninja coming after you that did it instead of an angry gang I kept beating up the members of doesn't change a thing. I had the house under insurgence and a gas lead, as the police and fire department reports will state, definitely falls under that category. In just a manner of days I'll have enough money to either rebuild or buy a whole new house! We can get you your own room and a weapons room to boot! Maybe we could buy a better TV while we're at it and a couple of real beds. A bathtub would be nice, but it's not a necessity."
The Senju could only stare in disbelief as Madara started rattling off the things they will need when their home is either rebuilt or bought. He could not believe his ears and yet it was true. Madara was honestly not angry with him and wasn't regretting the two of them meeting, living together and becoming friends. Even when it had brought two deadly ninja Tobirama had no hopes of winning against, Madara had not decided to throw him out but spoke of practically building a new home. Together.
"You truly are kind," he said, unconsciously echoing Hashirama's own words when Madara had given him the option of committing suicide or killing his younger brother for peace between the Uchiha and the Senju. Hashirama had, of course, chosen to sacrifice himself and had ordered Tobirama to treat Madara and the Uchiha kindly. Madara had stopped his Anija and had agreed to build Konoha together. Back then, Tobirama could see no kindness in Uchiha Madara, only a grieving, broken, mad man who wished to make others hurt as much as he was.
Now, he thought he might have seen the same thing Hashirama had, with his new insight in this man.
Madara could have easily given him the ultimatum for peace being only Tobirama's death. He could have sought revenge for his little brother in Izuna's killer's death and by Hashirama's own hand. Whichever choice Hashirama could make under such circumstances, it would have broken his Anija's heart, just like ultimately killing Madara had, even if he had forced himself to move forward or fear succumbing to his own true depression and sadness he had not felt since Itama died and there was no new friend with the same dream to distract him this time.
Madara had indeed been kind, in not forcing Hashirama to give up either part of his dream of peace and a joined village. He had his best friend at his side and his younger brother, all because Madara had been kind.
Like he was kind now. He was not forsaking Tobirama for being different than the people of this world. He was not throwing him away because the world he came from, enemies and mortal danger were an every day thing and he had accidentally brought his own almost murderers to Madara's doorstep. Where anyone else, any other civilian from his own time or any other person from this would have turned him away, chased him out and cursed his name to all the gods that might be listening or existing - and rightfully so; it was not their fight, their worries, their lifestyle - Madara was inviting him further in his life, was accepting him even when it meant he had just experienced strong enough emotions to (re)awaken a doujutus that usually meant only pain would follow.
Tobirama swore that, no matter what, he will find a way to repay this boy.
Uchiha Madara.
Madara blushed at his praise and muttered some things about him being an idiot and a tree huger - another common insult the Uchiha used to throw at their Senju opponents in light of Hashirama discovering Mokuton, something Madara should definitely not know and which Tobirama did not plan to tell him about until he figured out how in the name of the Sage of Six Paths had Madara managed to reawaken enough memories and experience to fight as he had when there is no evidence of prior development of his chakra coils - as he waved it off. He sobered up quickly, though, and hailed a passing car that had 'taxi' written on the side of it. "Come on. We need to get to my parents' house before it gets too late or tou-san won't let us in on principle no matter what we've been through."
"Sounds like a bastard," he couldn't help but comment as he hobbled into the car, both he and his companion ignoring the incredulous look Kurama got when the driver caught sight of the fox. He waited long enough for Madara to rattle off the address of his parents' adobe before he asked a rather important question if they want their story to be believable. "What should we tell them when we arrive? It would be best to agree ahead instead of stumbling through a story and getting caught in a lie." First rule of being a shinobi regarding lying: always have a prepared alibi no matter what you had done. It's invaluable in the long run.
"We'll just say that there are gas problems in my neighborhood, seeing as that's going to be the official police statement come morning or even this evening news. We got caught in the one at the store and came to see what had happened to my and several other houses after we got checked over by he medics. We need a place to stay until my finances counselor and insurgence company deal with this and I get my cash. Kaa-chan won't mind and tou-san will jump at the chance to have me under his thumb again. It will be annoying but it's too cold to not have a solid roof over out heads."
It was a solid plan but the comment about how difficult this will be for Madara once again made guilt creep up Tobirama's chest. He did not apologize this time, however, as Madara sent him a truly scary scowl for someone so much younger and shorter than himself - and yet so much more powerful, a part of his mind reminded, bringing up pictures of the relative ease with which the teen had taken care of what had almost been his murderers - so he just settled for observing the streets as they went by in the window. Madara seemed lost in thought, anyway, so it's not like he was being rude or antisocial.
The first thing he noticed upon entering a neighborhood that had Madara suddenly as strung uptight as a bowstring was that it was a much, much nicer part of the city than where Madara lives. The houses were considerably bigger and fancier in design, the lawns immaculately taken care of and whatever plants were upfront were well groomed. Another thing he noticed was that the people here were stiffer and dressed much less casually than he had ever seen Madara before. They eyed the taxi with distaste and suspicion and Tobirama almost felt as if he had walked right into the Uchiha Compound during the first few months since the village was built in search of Madara's house to argue with the man about some form or the other. Madara seemed no less tense here than he had been there in the last months before he had left.
'No wonder he fled from this place.' Even if this suspicion was not aimed directly at Madara himself, the atmosphere here was infinitely more hostile and colder than in the little street where he had found himself a new home. He was starting to feel stifled here, like the first time he had walked into the Hyuuga's new compound when they had just moved into the village. The level of tension and oppression there was outmatched by the one filling this place.
Madara had always hated being in the Hyuuga Compound.
Eventually, they stopped in front of one of the medium sized houses found in this neighborhood and Madara paid the driver before taking a deep, steadying breath and stepping out of the car. Tobirama followed suit on the other side and found himself immediately pinned by dark eyes - not as dark as an Uchiha's but close enough - watching him curiously before a scowl set itself on the preteen's little face as he glanced at his companion and the boy ran back into the house, yelling for his father. A glance at Madara and a general check on what his senses were telling him assured him this was one of Madara's younger siblings.
The door opened before they even reached it and a average height woman all but barreled into Madara, wrapping him up in her arms and crying into his hair almost hysterically. Madara let himself sink into her embrace and returned it gladly, obviously pleased to see his mother.
Tobirama was disconcerted that no one in this house felt even remotely related to Madara. Reincarnation or not, a sense of him should have lingered at the edges of their own weak chakra signatures.
"Kaa-chan," the boy said after a while, drawing himself back enough that he could look around if he wished. Seeing his face only made the woman more worried, as it was still dirty and there was a small cut on his cheek, either from the fight or the explosion remained a mystery. Kurama waited patiently at Tobirama's side, though he had no idea when the fox had come to sit at his feet. "This is Senju Tobirama. He is my roommate and close friend. I fear we may need a place to stay for a little while."
"Oh!" The woman seemed to notice him only then, finally letting go of Madara and straightening out nonexistent wrinkles in her clothing before she offered him a polite smile. "My apologies. Pleased to meet you, Senju-kun. Thank you for being so kind to my son. I am Utaha Sakura. Please do come in and sit. That ankle looks painful. Make yourself at home!"
"Kaa-chan, you're rambling," Madara teased, only to have his nose tweaked in retaliation. The teen scowled at the childish gesture but didn't seem angry or even embarrassed. This was the Uchiha love people envied, a depth of emotion no one had seen anyone else achieve. Like hell was Madara an Utaha. (Tobirama also made a note about yet another name never heard among the Uhciha Clan). "We can take my old room if it's still available."
"Yes, of course it is! I would never let your room be taken, no matter how much time passed since you last slept there." The mother seemed rather offended at the mere suggestion. "Come in, settle down. Though perhaps a nice home cooked meal is in order first. You boys look famished. And no, Madara, you are not helping. You need to assist your friend in settling in and cleaning up a bit. Then you can tell me what the fudge happened that you two looked like you picked a fight with a train and the train won."
"We're fine," Madara whined but didn't try to oppose his mother, instead leading Tobirama into the house when the woman ushered them in. He passed right by a big, lush living room full of dark hared, pale, dark eyed people of various ages and led him down a hallway until they reached a room that was labeled as Madara's and 'Enter at your own risk'. He arched an eyebrow at his companion and Madara huffed in embarrassment. "I had a phase of putting up traps or reacting violently when someone came into my room to wake me up. Though I think the sign was pasted back on becasue Kaa-chan is an overprotective mother and would no doubt eviscerate anyone who went in against her orders."
Okay, so Utaha Sakura at least sounded somewhat like an Uchiha, though her temperament might be a consequence of Madara's own rubbing off on her.
The room wasn't all that much bigger than the living room/bedroom in Madara's own house had been and it was equally as well lived in. Everything seemed to have its place and Madara's love of hawks was clear from the painted ceiling depicting an open sky with three hawks in flight, flying in a circle around the light. Tobirama was oddly reminded of the Sharningan's tomoe and wondered if this design had been Madara's idea or the painter's. He was a bit surprised to see a cabinet dedicated to what seemed to be fighting trophies and a lot of them. He didn't understand the significance behind the categories or the tournament names but it was clear Madara had been rather successful. He made a note to ask the teen why he seems to have given up on that. From what he remembers of Madara in his first life, the man had loved fighting, especially hand to hand. Had called it 'dancing', though seeing as with which grace he did fight, it sort of made sense.
Personal items were few and far in between books and old study materials. Just a couple of photographs of him and his family when he was younger and from his tournaments. He looked younger than ten in the last picture he had with his siblings. Most of the pictures were actually with his mother. There was one picture taken at some sort of formal event, judging by how sharp everyone looked, when Madara appeared to be about thirteen and he stood in the middle, the children apparently arranged by birth, and there was a wide space between him and Kiachi and between Madara and Shotaro. The hand the man who must be Madara's father had on his friend's shoulder looked restraining, weighing him down while Sakura-san seemed to be offering him comfort.
No smile on the photo was sincere.
Madara looked miserable.
"Come on," said Uchiha called once their stuff was put aside and a berth of some sort was drawn out of the recliner in the corner of Madara's room. "Let's get cleaned up and go to dinner. The sooner we get that over with, the sooner I can call my insurgence agency and see about getting my money so we can get out of here again." He crouched down and pet Kurama between his large ears. "You have to stay and be good, Kurama, and you have fool permission to bite the pants off anyone not me, Tobirama or my Kaa-chan if they come in. I'll bring you something later."
The fox seemed to nod, snorted and curled up on Madara's bed. Tobirama swore that animal was far too intelligent.
Still, he followed after Madara with dread in his heart. Madara had to deal with this bullshit again because of him.
He swore he'll do his best to make it up to the teen.