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?
Ever since the day his brother, presumed dead for four months, returned to Konoha in their great time of need with his best friend, also presumed dead but for two years, Hashirama has noticed a great change, and not just in his brother, but in the village in general. He knew that it was all a result of Madara's miraculous return, younger and with next to no memory of his life in Konoha or even before that, but he wasn't sure if he appreciated all of the changes going on.
For one, the streets always became quieter at certain times of the day. Even in his office at Hokage Tower, Hashirama didn't need to be a sensor to know Madara was making his way through the market to his preferred spot to spend the afternoon with the children that liked him so. Everyone was extremely wary of the returned Uchiha and it made Hashirama want to scream as this time he saw the way his best friend was being treated by the very people he'd die to protect. It distressed him and he knew he wasn't the only one. He knew Toka even outright expressed her deepest worries regarding how such treatment might affect Madara to Tobirama, though his last brother didn't seem overly worried, just angry in general at the treatment.
Hashirama didn't like the implications from Tobirama's answer that Madara was 'used to it'. The Uchiha was still so young.
Hashirama mourned the loss of innocence his best friend suffered through no matter the era he lived in.
Another change he did not appreciate was how the Council of Clan Heads always found a 'subtle' way to suggest he throw his friend out of the village. He'd been close to losing his temper spectacularly for months now. He'd let Madara go once and he hated the consequences of his actions, if what Tobirama said was true. He feared letting Madara out of the village could end up with the same results.
Madara had made a spectacular escape from a fate much worse than death once and he had ended up centuries into the future.
Hashirama didn't want to check whether he could manage again.
A change he did appreciate was how much happier Tobirama was. He was not just content with his existence in the village, but seemed to be genuinely happy for the first time in a very long time. Hashirama had not seen his brother living such a healthy life style as he was now. He got regular rest, didn't stay at work too late and was overall in a better mood. He ate regularly - Mito and Toka were having bets about who was the cook in the house shared by Tobirama and Madara, as no one could picture the Uchiha fucking Madara puttering about in the kitchen with an apron - he took the time to relax and he didn't shut himself away in his lab all the time.
What Hashirama also didn't appreciate was the weird conversations this new Madara had with Tobirama. Like right now.
"I should have remembered to bring an AC back with us," the Uchiha commented longingly as they were all relaxing by the Naka on their rare day off. Madara was comfortably propped up on the Kyuubi's flank, the great fox about the size of a horse to accommodate him and dozing under the thickest shade of the biggest tree they could find. The teen didn't seem all that bothered by the heat, but one had to guess that with all that fire running through his veins, heat would never bother him either way. Besides him, though, Tobirama looked like he was in hell with how much he was sweating even as he fanned himself and the constant surges of his much cooler chakra that he was hoping would cool him off. Hashirama ventured that the Kyuubi constantly covering him with its tails wasn't helping him any.
"Konoha still hasn't established an electricity grid," Tobirama countered as he tried to fan himself harder but seemed to only make himself hotter.
Madara scoffed. "So? I've got enough chakra to produce raiton surges for days to run that thing. Though I doubt the walls in the house would be strong enough to support the whole thing. And the neighboring house might catch fire from the heat of the exhaust ventilator that cools the AC itself. Or maybe even our house but then you're there, so that wouldn't be that much of a problem. You're damn more useful in a fire than a hose, I swear."
"I live to serve," was the younger Senju's dry reply, before they fell silent. Toka, Mito, Hashirama and Hikaku exchanged curious and incredulous looks, having absolutely no idea what the two were talking about. Tsunade, dozing stretched out on Madara's crossed legs, and Kagami, leaning against his returned shishou and close to falling asleep himself, didn't seem to care, mostly just enjoying the rumble of their voices and the physicality of their mere presence. It wasn't, after all, all that long ago that these two were dead to the world. Hashirama had held out hope for his brother but had ultimately known how unlikely Tobirama's return actually was and he'd been the one to strike his best friend down. Sometimes, he would wake up in the middle of the night and sneak into their house just to watch them breathe. He knew they probably knew even in their sleep that he was there, but they never said anything about it.
The Kyuubi, though, often threw him dirty looks for it because it actually woke up to growl at him and once nearly attacked him when he'd tried to actually step into Madara's room to better see the rising and falling of his once friend's chest. (He wanted to still call them friends but the likeliness of Madara ever speaking to him again once he remembers the way Hashirama had killed him was very low.)
"Though, I don't think the system would survive you channeling chakra into it," his younger brother said after a long lull in the conversation, once again drawing everyone's attention to himself. "I could maybe make a container that would send out specific amounts of lightning chakra into the system."
"Whatever keeps our house cool. If not an AC, I could have at least brought an electric fan."
"Can't you make one?" Tobirama asked and the Uchiha snorted, giving him a dry look.
"I have Uchiha memory, not omniscience, idiot Senju. I can't exactly make something when I don't know how."
"You never learned?"
"One doesn't usually read books on the mechanics of cooling devices in their free time, Tobirama." Madara paused, thoughtful. "A fridge would have been nice, too. Particularly Ren's. That bastard loved his unlimited instant ice cubes."
"I think I would have preferred one of those satellites you talked about. I miss the Internet." Hashirama stared at the petulant pout developing on his brother's face. He might have gawked, too. "Think of all of that knowledge! I never did read that article about quantum physics. Or that one about space travel."
"Bah, that one was a load of bullshit. If humans ever actually stepped onto the surface of the moon, they would've been killed by the Otsutsuki that lived there." Tobirama joined in on staring at Madara at that one. Only Hikaku nodded in agreement while one of the Kyuubi's red eyes opened at that. Seeing the looks he was getting, the teen waved them off. "It's an Uchiha thing."
"What, some sort of clan joke?" Asked the curious Toka but all Madara and Hikaku did was shrug.
"It's just something that the Uchiha have always said about the moon," Hikaku explained casually and left it at that.
"So you're saying there's actual people up there?" Hashirama hated when Tobirama got curious. It could end up really dangerous for all people involved and even those who had no connection to him whatsoever.
"That's debatable," Madara replied, sounding annoyed all of a sudden. "I don't know if it's my lack of memory or if there's just nothing there, but I do know that the Uchiha remember. Whether it's some old fireside story or some sort of fact, I don't know."
"There isn't any more information that I'm aware of," Hikaku replied casually, shrugging. "Not sure if the main house ever knew more about it, though."
"One more reason for us to continue sparring," Tobirama grunted at Madara before seeming to snap. "How are you not hot right now?"
The Uchiha gave him a very offended glare. "Excuse you, I am always hot!"
"I meant how is the heat not affecting you, you imbecile!"
"Oh," a blush crept up onto Madara's cheeks at that. Mito might have cooed. Toka was cackling. Hashirama tried to figure out if the two were flirting or just annoying each other. "Well, I guess the answer is the same, then. I'm used to heat. Didn't you yourself say that I always felt like fire to your senses?"
"Yes, but how!? This doesn't even make any sense! Your chakra is hot. You're dressed in dark clothing from head to toe. You're wearing gloves, for chakra's sake! And that's not even mentioning how much heat your hair must be soaking up!" It might be the heat but Tobirama looked on the verge of a breakdown at the sheer lack of logic to it all. "And there are three warm bodies surrounding you! How are you not overheating right now? I'm dressed much lighter than you and I want to burn up."
"Like I said, I'm used to the heat. I'm pretty sure my internal temperature is higher than this, which automatically means that I can't be warm. As I'm used to my own temperature, I'm not bothered by any outside heat. In other words, I'm a fucking Targaryen." Hashirama had no idea what that meant but Tobirama just gave an acknowledging grunt. Madara, though, paused, looking thoughtful. "Hey, do you think-"
"No," Tobirama cut off, sounding wary.
"But listen!" Madara urged, turning around as much as he could without disturbing the peaceful children. "Targaryen are known for playing with fire and the Uchiha are taught to play with fire in our cradles. We don't have dragons but I can sure as hell breathe out more fire than even Drogon. What if-"
"Madara, no," the younger Senju sounded exasperated now. It didn't seem to deter the teen at all, as he gently pushed Kagami off to lean against the unimpressed Kyuubi and placed Tsunade to rest on its nine tails.
Madara then all but crawled right into Tobirama's face, an excited gleam in his eyes. "I can control fire and you'll be there to put it out if shit gets dangerous. Come on, I know you're as curious as I am!" He took both of Tobirama's hands in his own, looking ready to drag him off to do whatever risky thing that had occurred to him that even the ever reckless in his experiments Tobirama didn't want to risk doing. The onlookers felt dread rising, even if they had no idea what was happening. "Think about it! The Targaryen are immune to fire because of old Valyrian blood! Uchiha blood is even older, if we compare centuries, and every born Uchiha has a fire affinity and none as strong as my own!"
"Madara, I'm not setting you on fire just because you want to be part of your favorite GOT house." They all paled at what Tobirama said, but Madara just pouted. Was he insane!? "Besides, you don't have the coloring for it. You look more like a Stark and are just as obsessive with family and honor."
Madara yanked out an uchiwa pendant and shoved the back side into Tobirama's face. "Blood and fire, Tobirama. Blood and fire." When the white haired man didn't seem convinced, Madara got even closer and he affected a face that Hashirama had only seen on children before, the infamous puppy eyes of doom. "Please? Think of it as an experiment! Do it for Science™, Tobirama."
Toka snorted, highly amused. "Do it for science? I never thought Uchiha Madara could be such a dork! It's cute."
For some reason, Madara gave up on the puppy dog eyes and a devious grin replaced his innocent expression. Tobirama glared, the first facial expression he made since Madara got so far into his personal bubble. "Don't-"
"Give in, Tobirama. Come to the dork side. We have Science."
Tobirama's glare couldn't hold up against the power of his amused snort. "Damn you and your Star Wars memes, Madara."
"Does this mean you'll do it?" The Uchoha asked, still almost impolitely close, not that either seemed to mind. It made Hashirama wonder just what kind of life style they had behind the closed doors and scarily destructive barrier seals of his brother's home. Or even the interactions they used to have in the time Madara had lived. They seemed rather comfortable with each other, after all. The Madara he'd known for most of his life had never been this at ease with someone that close and touching so much.
"Only if we conduct it as a proper experiment, with notes and everything. And proper safety procedures."
"I'm not sure there's an actual proper safety procedure for setting someone on fire, but yeah, okay, whatever," Madara waved him off, looking really excited for some reason. "If I prove to be a Targaryen, we'll need to look into Hatake summoning scrolls to find you an albino dire wolf."
"Madara! I am not turning Konoha into a Game of Thrones theme park!"
"But Hashirama could make the faces on trees! And there has to be some sort of dragon summons somewhere! Or at least giant fire breathing bats." Madara looked thoughtful again. "Actually, scratch that. I can breathe fire. Let's just find a giant bat. And besides, you're practically the human Ghost! And Yamanaka look like Targaryen! The Hatake could be Starks and the Hyuuga can be the Lannisters."
"The Hyuuga look nothing like Lannisters, though," Tobirama argued, like what Madara was saying made any sense.
"Yes, but they're uptight asses like them, that's for fucking sure," Madara grumbled before all but slumping against Tobirama. "Can we please find a big albino wolf with red eyes?"
"Oh for fucks sake-"
"Language!"
Tobirama gaped down at the legendary Uchiha. "Did you just Captain America me!?"
"No," Madara drawled, withdrawing to show the smug smirk on his face. "I just Iron Man-ed you."
"You're a menace."
"It's so nice when people appreciate my good qualities. It makes me feel so loved." Tobirama just groaned and let his forehead fall onto Madara's shoulder.
Hashirama squeaked.
"What's your damage, tree-man?" Madara scowled in his direction and Hashirama tried not to flush. Or get flustered. Or fall into a sulk at the way his friend was talking to him like he usually would. He was pretty sure Madara would not appreciate that. But his reaction was legitimate! He'd never seen Tobirama act so touchy-feely with someone before, okay!? Not even with their younger brothers!
"Ignore him. He's just being himself," Mito, his beloved wife, just brushed him off and Hashirama did fall into a pout almost immediately.
"Why is everyone so mean to me~?"
"Because you're an idiot," the different form of his once best friend since childhood replied instantly and Hashirama slumped further. "Anyway, when do you want to do the experiment?"
"Preferably after we find you some appropriate fire resistant clothes," Tobirama replied, seemingly reluctantly lifting his head and not at all noticing how close the two of them were. Madara may as well be sitting on his lap. Hashirama looked up so he can properly despair at his brother's continued social cluelessness and could only hope that Madara at least knew what he was doing and had semi-good and pure intentions. Though the Uchiha was only a teenager.
Which could, in so much ways, be so much worse.
Madara huffed, sounding offended. "I'm an Uchiha. All of my clothes are embedded with miniature seals that make it fire resistant."
" ... Okay, you are giving me your wardrobe for inspection if you survive this. I have never even heard of there being clothing seals!" Tobirama jumped to his feet, dragging Madara with him by grabbing the Uchiha by the waist and hauling him up with his momentum. Madara released an undignified squawk, offended, but didn't try to wrench the hands away, letting Tobirama release him as he pleased. The white haired Senju kept one - oblivious - hand around the other's waist as he bent down enough to swat at Kagami's head, startling the youngest Uchiha present awake with a start. "Get up, Kagami. Science waits for no one."
"Isn't today our day off, sensei?" The still dazed teen asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Science waits for no one," Tobirama repeated but his student looked no more enthusiastic than before.
"But I was napping!"
"Science never sleeps, either." Kagami still looked ready to whine but Madara rolled his eyes and cut in with the experience only a person who had practically raised Kagami and was used to his whiny continence upon waking up could, proving how well he knew his former apprentice.
"Do you want to set things on fire?"
Immediately, the curly haired Uchiha shot up straight, all the sleep gone from his face as he gazed up at Madara in utter adoration. "Of course, shishou!"
"Then get up. Like Tobirama said, science waits for no one." He paused and looked down contemplatively at the tea set they'd brought out. "Any tea in that thermos?"
"Uh, I think it's empty, shishou," Kagami bent down and checked, not at all weirded out by how close his idols were standing, not noticing how every other adult was gaping at them and not caring about how strange he looked as he bent over to peek into the thermos they'd brought the tea in. "Yep, it's empty. Should I bring it along? We can always make more tea."
Madara's eyebrow twitched. "Bring that empty bitch near me and I'll yeet it across Fire Country."
"Oh sweet chakra, stop spreading memes onto unsuspecting children," Tobirama berated but his shoulders were shaking in silent laughter, probably at young Kagami's bewildered face. "It's okay, just leave it, Kagami. We can always get tea later. We don't need it now."
Madara sniffed at that, drew back enough to cross his arms and peer up at Hashirama's younger brother in something akin to irritation. "Don't need it? Ha! Take the general need for tea, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depth of forever and you still won't ever hope to understand my need for good sencha tea."
"Okay, that was pretty good," Tobirama conceded and the teen preened in victory. "I guess we'll be stopping by to get some tea."
"I miss Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins," the Kyuubi mutters to itself but doesn't move from its position under the tree. "They were good actors."
"Don't the Uzumaki have a mask that can summon the Shinigami?" Madara asked, more to himself than anyone in particular. "We could ask if that saying is correct, the whole multiplying by infinity and so on."
"You're not summoning the Shinigami," Mito, bless her, said sternly and Hashirama watched in horror as shishou, sensei and student all slumped in disappointment at that, even if Tobirama's was barely noticeable. Toka may have cackled. The Hokage feared for his village.
"Well, we're off," the eldest in the group announced as he grabbed onto Kagami as well and prepared to Hiraishin them out of there. The last any of them heard from the group was Madara's grumpy "Tea first," and Tobirama's reply of "Yes, dear," sarcasm dripping from the syllables in excess amounts. They stayed silent for a long while before an intrigued young voice made a peculiar sound of interest and they all turned their eyes to Tsunade.
"Curious. Mada-jii seems to be trying to seduce jii-chan. But jii-chan doesn't seem to notice. Curiouser and curiouser."
To their surprise, the Kyuubi looked between being ready to laugh itself silly and go of on a killing rampage.
Hashirama really didn't appreciate the change in Tobirama's behavior that Madara's return caused.
He feared for Konoha.