A/N: My stupid ass asked my muse for another prompt and I got conveniently distracted with that one.

Long story short, I forgot that this story is not a one-shot. lol

Tobirama is...small.

It was a bit bizarre to acknowledge that fact now that he towered over the silver-haired. It has never crossed Izuna's mind that there would be the day that Tobirama has to look up to meet his gaze instead of the other way around. Izuna was the younger brother, so he was always the smaller and shorter one between the two of them. Plus, with the difference between Hatake and Uchiha genetic, Izuna was never able to tower over Tobirama, even after he finally hit his growth spurt. The Hatake genetic from his mother has made Tobirama a towering presence among the Uchiha, even long before his puberty hit.

But tall as he was, his frame was small.

"Uchiha-san?"

Izuna snapped out of his thought, looking down towards the wary boy that was gazing up at him. His shrunken brother now stood no taller than Izuna's own waist—a few centimetres taller than typical height of Uchiha child his age—but Tobirama's frame was so small and skinny. His shoulders have not yet developed to the broad breadth of his adult self and through the floppy collar of the oversized shirt, Izuna could see the pronounced ribs that outlined his brother's chest.

Izuna held back a grimace.

He had a fleeting hunch on why he could see Tobirama's ribs now despite his brother having regained his healthy physique of a fit shinobi just weeks before this shrinking happened.

"I thought he has been eating better," Touka commented, squatting beside Izuna to get a better look at the silver-haired boy. "Why the fuck I can see your ribs, brat?"

"Language."

There was a unison collective reprimand from a good number of adults in the room.

Touka scowled. "He is thirty-two, damn it."

"Does that look like a thirty-two years old man to you?" Madara retorted, face scrunched up to a disapproving frown as he gestured at the hunched-up boy. "Mind your language, cousin."

"All of you are sensitive as fuck," the Senju kunoichi grumbled, opening her mouth again to argue. "Brat is already a mini-terror even at this age. Bad language won't scar him."

Izuna would have entertained the amusing argument, but there was a slight tug on his pants and his attention was immediately diverted towards his elder brother.

Izuna's heart then was promptly sent flying over the moon.

Tobirama was clinging to his pants, little fists clutched on the dark fabrics over Izuna's thighs as he inched even closer to the adult, probably growing wary at the arguments of former enemies. He has been strangely accepting up to this point, but Izuna knew that there was a chance that Tobirama was simply playing along with them because he was at a disadvantage—his brother was simply too smart to blindly accept their story of him being de-aged over two decades from his actual age. It was a good strategy, to play along and get to know his opponents, moreover now that Tobirama was a child among a group of full-grown shinobi that were strangers to him.

Having his own autonomy now that Madara has finally let him down, Tobirama naturally moved closer to Izuna, probably seeking comfort from the nearest Uchiha he could find.

When Tobirama was eight—merely a year after he was brought into the clan—Tajima used to stick around the clan's compound as frequent as the man could. Thus, because of the man's presence in the compound, there was less chance for the Uchiha to express their dislike to the silver-haired heir of their leader.

Tajima has no tolerance whatsoever to anyone he caught speaking badly of his half-blooded son.

At the age of eight, Tobirama's trust was still not completely broken by the hatred of his own clan, hence this instant reaction of seeking comfort from another Uchiha was perfectly normal.

That, and the fact that a catfight between Madara and Touka was probably freaky enough on its own to scare the shrunken Uchiha.

"Brother-in-law. Touka-chan."

Touka and Madara stopped arguing upon the stern firm voice of the Uzumaki princess, looking comically horrified even when Touka still has her hair in Madara's tight fists while Madara's cheeks were still trapped in the kunoichi's merciless grip. They froze in that position, similar dark eyes blinked warily at Mito.

"Behave yourselves," Mito smiled—all ice and sharp authority—as she nodded in Tobirama's direction. "Do remember that he does not have any memories of our peace. Your immaturity might terrify him."

Tobirama shifted, half-hiding himself behind Izuna as all eyes were now centred on him.

"You still have doubts on your predicament, right?" Mito cooed, softening her stern smile to something gentler and kinder once she met Tobirama's shocked expression—the child likely did not expect for anyone to pick up on his act. "We're all strangers that came from clans that were not allied to the Uchiha back during the war. You likely see us as enemies now."

"We are enemies," Tobirama finally said, eyeing the gathered leaders with a wary gaze, chakra extended to cover the whole room. "And de-ageing sounds more like a fantasy rather than facts."

"You'll be surprised to know how much your adult self defied facts and made fantasy a reality," Mito hummed, but made no move to resist when Tobirama's chakra reached her.

The Clan Heads allowed themselves to be touched by the spreading chakra too, relaxing their energy in the effort to show the confused boy that they meant him no harm. It took some time, but their effort seemed to work as Tobirama's frown grew deeper with confusion rather than wariness.

"Supposedly," the boy added after a moment of hesitation, voice softer. "We are at war..."

"That was ages ago," Touka snorted, rolling her eyes and released one of Madara's cheeks to gesture aimlessly at the occupants of the office. "The only war that is probably going to happen is the war between these idiots on who gets to babysit you."

Izuna found himself to shift, keeping one hand on his brother's small shoulders as he pressed Tobirama to his side.

Nuh-uh. He was not going to let someone else babysit his shrunken brother. This is his chance for redemption. No way in hell he was going to let this chance fell to someone else's hands.

Touka gave him a smug smirk.

"See? Someone is already reluctant to let go," she grinned in that creepy hyena-like way at the adult Uchiha before softening her grin to a playful one at Tobirama. "The war is behind us, brat."

"But it was yesterday for me...," Tobirama retorted, voice softer and filled with confusion and hesitance. "Father is injured in yesterday's battle. Mokuton got him."

At this, Hashirama lowered his gaze, lips curled contemplatively. He remembered that battle, yes, since it was one of the few times his father looked at him and gave him a proud smile. It was the first time he managed to contribute something using his mokuton in their battle as he injured Uchiha Tajima and forced the Uchiha to a retreat.

Madara, on the other hand, has completely schooled his face to an empty poker face, slinking into the back of the group once Touka released him.

This Tobirama has no memories of slaying Senju Butsuma. That history-changing event happened when the silver-haired Uchiha was sixteen. He won't call it fair and square now if he knew that Madara was the one who killed his beloved father.

As adults, they already came to terms with the blood in their hands once they laid the first foundations of the village.

Child Tobirama might have a different opinion, especially if one remembered that only Tajima who has truly loved him among the Uchiha.

This Tobirama would have a completely different opinion than his adult self.

And Hashirama knew that that opinion would break his baby brother.

The Hokage's dark eyes flickered to one of the frames he kept on his table, and his face promptly softened, lips curled to a gentle smile. He stood and brought the frame with him as he once again levelled his gaze to the current height of his shrunken friend, not even putting up any defences even when the wide dark eyes morphed to dual-patterned spinning red.

"You have mokuton," the silver-haired child said, eyes widening as his chakra flared a little bit more defensively now.

"The only mokuton user left," Hashirama confirmed, face still soft and gentle.

"You're the one who hurt my father then," Tobirama accused, forehead scrunched to a frown.

"Once upon a time, when I was at your age now," Hashirama nodded, smile still pleasantly gentle as he offered the picture frame to the boy. "When peace was still a dream to me rather than this reality we have built together."

Tobirama's frown deepened as his confused gaze fell onto the frame. Then, his dark big eyes widened even more as he gingerly reached out for the frame.

"Is that...?"

"You," Hashirama nodded, tracing the delicate glass of the frame. "Or rather, us," he explained when Tobirama's confused gaze snapped up to meet his eyes. "One of my clansmen thought it would be nice to immortalise this as a painting, a symbol of the end of our war."

Tobirama blinked owlishly, gaze fixed on the framed picture in awe and wonder. Hashirama quirked a soft smile, knowing that his friend was fond of the picture too, even if the Uchiha Demon never made any move to have a copy painted for himself.

Hashirama let his gaze fell onto the frame, remembering how easy it was for him to lean against the body of the man that killed his own father—a former enemy that later turned to friends (and soon to be brothers)—as they fell victim to the exhaustion of the long day planning their village.

The painting captured Hashirama in all of his snoring glory—with mouth opened wide and a little bit of drool at the corner of his lips, nose buried in silver hair—while his Uchiha companion was immortalised as a picture of serenity, head resting on Hashirama's shoulder and eyes closed in a peaceful sleep.

The two leaders of warring clans, leaning against each other without armour or weapons in sight, asleep in each other's company.

If that wasn't a symbol of peace, Hashirama didn't know what was.

It appeared that his shrunken friend has come to that conclusion too.

"We truly achieved peace?" The question came in the form of childlike wonder, spinning red eyes looked up from the frame to meet Hashirama's dark eyes.

Hashirama reached out and held the pale small hands in his own, lips curled to a gentle loving smile.

"We did," he assured. "Together."

Tobirama cracked a tiny smile, eyes softening as he buried his face under the high collar of his oversized shirt to hide his happy little grin, his voice was muffled by the fabric as he whispered;

"Izuna can live a long happy life now."

It was said in such a soft voice—barely audible to normal hearing—but they were all seasoned shinobi here in this office, with senses enhanced by carefully applied chakra.

Those words rang so clear in their ears.

Tobirama yelped when he was suddenly hauled up in the air and was pressed tight against a solid chest. Warm lips showered the top of his head with kisses, though the hands that were holding him trembled. There were sniffles that slipped in between the kisses, like the man was attempting to hold back tears.

"Hashirama," Izuna called, barely able to constrain the tremors of his voice—because his brother has always genuinely cared about him, putting him above anything else though it was only now Izuna was able to see it—but he kept his tone firm as he added. "May we be excused? I accept everything that you agreed for the festival, but for now..."

His gaze trailed to the child in his arms.

Hashirama's smile was soft and understanding.

"You may," the Hokage permitted. "Go entertain our young guest. I'll send a messenger to update you regarding the finalised festival."

"Thanks," Izuna said with a curt nod, wrapping his scarf around his brother's exposed neck before he shot a grin to the child in his arms. "How about better fitting clothes and some hot cocoa?"

Tobirama answered him with a shy nod.

Izuna's soul melted.

"Uchiha-san?"

Izuna halted mid-step, tilting his head to sneak a glance at the boy that was riding his back. Tobirama looked even smaller now, bundled up in the thick fabric of Madara's coat and Izuna's scarf, cheeks flushed a light pink due to the cold, but his heartbeats were steady against Izuna's back and his small hands were solid around Izuna's neck.

"Yes?" Izuna smiled, shifting so that Tobirama could cling higher up his back.

(He vaguely remembered the broad back that carried him home every time he was too drained after a battle and he promptly shifted, making sure that his brother was plastered close against his back.)

"I can walk on my own."

"I know, Tobi," Izuna murmured, but made no move to put the boy down. "I just want to hold you a bit longer. Is that okay?"

The hands that were fisting on Izuna's collar tightened in a brief pulse before Izuna felt the small body on his back relaxed and Tobirama's soft cheeks pressed slightly against the outlines of his jaw.

"Is it okay?" The question was mumbled against his skin, merely a warm vibration of shaky breath.

"Hmm?"

"Is it okay for you to be nice to me?"

That halted Izuna mid-step.

Oh, fuck.

But, he schooled his face to that of a confusion, angling a smile towards the frowning boy.

"Why would it not be okay?" He asked, wondering if he was wrong after all—worried that the hatred was already destroying his brother even at this age.

"The elders would not be happy," Tobirama deadpanned, lips pressed slightly in a sad pout. "You will get into trouble."

Izuna squeezed his eyes shut.

Of course, Tobirama has lived long enough in the Uchiha compound to know that the elders disliked him. Even with Tajima's violent protectiveness, the elders have their way to make their point known to the silver-haired boy.

How much had it hurt his brother back then? When their own grandmother was the one who led the elders to outcast him from the clan?

"The elders have no power," Izuna spat those words through his gritted teeth, turning his head as much as he could to meet his brother's widened eyes. "I'm the Clan Head now. They can take their disagreement to the grave for all that I care."

"Clan Head?" Tobirama blinked, face paling as his gaze took in Izuna's face, looking like the realisation finally dawned on him. "Izuna?" he blurted out, voice barely above a whisper.

Izuna quirked a weak smile. "Hey, Aniki."

Tobirama blinked owlishly as if he did not know how to digest that information before chakra suddenly coated his feet, sticking at Izuna's back with precise control as he let go of Izuna's neck in favour of forming a familiar handsign.

Izuna resisted a wince.

"KAI!" Tobirama hissed, squeezing his eyes shut.

The expression that he made when he opened his eyes again was that of bewilderment and fearful hope.

"Izuna?" he mouthed, too high-pitched to be a whisper and more of a squeak instead.

"Aniki," Izuna smiled.

"You no longer hate me?"

It was a rushed question, hopeful all the way from the soft voice to the nervous grip on Izuna's shirt and the widened hopeful black eyes.

It broke Izuna's heart.

In a swift move, Izuna manoeuvred Tobirama until they were face to face—awkward as it was, considering that Tobirama was a bit too tall to be carried like this—and Izuna wasted no time to press one hand over Tobirama's cheek, making sure that his brother could not avoid the eye contact.

"I love you," he said, clear as the sun yet soft as the flowing mountain creek. "I love you, Aniki," he repeated upon the flash of doubt in those dark eyes. "Sage, it took me twenty-three years, but I love you," he murmured, blinking the tears away as he quirked a tiny smile to the flabbergasted boy. "I'm sorry," he whimpered, hands moving to thread in the silver hair, pulling Tobirama close until the boy's face was pressed to the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm so, so sorry."

Tobirama didn't respond verbally, but his hands came up to awkwardly pat Izuna's head.

Izuna was reminded of bigger hands that always—always, despite the constant rejections—reached out to him, and he found the regret once again overwhelmed him, making it hard to speak. He tangled one of his hands with Tobirama's, holding the much smaller hand in his own as he tried to hide the whimper that threatened to slip past his lips, swallowing the lump that rose to his throat.

When Izuna felt small hand tracing his skin to wipe the wetness that tried to escape his eyes, he let out a tiny noise of regret, lowering his gaze from meeting the gentle dark eyes. Tobirama was smiling—a tiny little quirk of his lips that lightened up his eyes—as that small hand planted itself on Izuna's cheek and those dark eyes softened with love.

"I forgive you."

Three words.

Only three words were needed to unravel Izuna, breaking him apart right here in the middle of Konoha's town square.

He didn't care of the curious glances directed his way, didn't care that the civilians in the streets were no longer trying to be discreet in their eavesdropping because Izuna only has his attention on his shrunken elder brother. He was so focused on his brother, wanting to bask in this forgiveness despite knowing that it was for a short time, considering that he knew Tobirama would have a different opinion once he returned to his actual age.

Didn't matter. As long as his brother could bear being in his arms, Izuna's attention would be solely focused on Tobirama. Everything else was not important. He would pour all of his attention and love on Tobirama, not even minding his surroundings—

—hence the undignified surprised shriek that escaped his lips when someone touched his shoulders from behind.

"Uncle, what the hell?"

Izuna quickly blinked the remnants of tears away, tightening his arms around Tobirama's body as he turned around to face his nephew.

"Kagami," Izuna smiled, still a bit wary but the boy has been so kind to put their past animosity behind them, thus this was the least that Izuna could do to improve their mending relationship. "I see your team managed to get you to clean up," he teased.

Kagami didn't respond to that jibe.

Instead, the young Clan Head stared at the boy in Izuna's arms, mismatched eyes widened in shock, jaw slacked open in a disbelieving gaoe.

"Dad?"

Izuna grimaced upon hearing that soft whisper.

"Who are you?" Tobirama instantly responded, sounding confused yet so very curious.

For a split second, Kagami's face twisted to an expression of hurt, but he was already a fearsome shinobi by this point, so it didn't even take a blink of an eye for the teenage boy to compose himself and quirked a smile towards Tobirama.

Izuna was deeply grateful for that.

God knew that if this happened a year ago, Kagami would probably already try to burn him to ashes the moment he saw the tiny version of his father in Izuna's arms. No question asked. That Kagami would be all too homicidal happy to murder Izuna.

Thank god that they were in a better kind of relationship now.

But of course, Lady Karma loved Tobirama so much that she has chosen this particular moment to make Izuna's life more difficult.

"Kagami-sama! Kagami-sama!"

Izuna braced himself when Ayame and a bunch of other children barrelled through the crowd, carrying a box of suspiciously dangerous-looking traps decorated with sparkles, ribbons and painted doodles—an oddly regular sight when it came to their prototypes now—before they screeched to a sudden halt upon seeing Izuna and the shrunken Tobirama, almost toppling over each other as they did so.

Kagami winced before anything could even happen.

Not a good sign.

Tobirama showed no signs of recognition, but the kids recognised him instantly.

"Shishou?"

Izuna winced.

Oh, dear.

"All of you are my kids?"

The bewilderment was obvious in those words, laced with disbelief and a tinge of awed hope as Tobirama met the excited gaze of the children.

"Yes!" They cheered in unison.

Tobirama shrunk backwards when the hyper-excited children practically loomed over him, crowding him with unwavering attention. They were not even hiding their fascination over his current predicament, but instead seemed to be ecstatic about it.

Of course. These were Tobirama's kids. How could one expect any other reactions?

Izuna wondered if he should keep an eye on those kids before they carted Tobirama away to the labs and do 'research'. It was probable. It's possible. And Izuna had this strange premonition that they were bidding the time to do so—don't even ask why he thought that.

Probably because of the way the kids were crowding around their shrunken patriarch.

Like hyenas waiting to go for the kill.

God, these kids were scary.

In the centre of the enthusiastic children, Tobirama stood hunched and unsure, obviously not used to be at the centre of affectionate attention. There was a faint blush dusting Tobirama's cheeks, and his eyes were still widened in shock at the barrage of loving attention poured on him.

The kids didn't care. They have already ditched their intentions on asking Kagami's approval of their trap designs in favour of fawning over their shrunken patriarch.

"Shishou, why are you so skinny?"

"Um. I can feel your ribs, shishou! This is not good."

"Wait, you no longer have to work now, right? Does that mean we can play all day?"

"Aaaahhh shishou you're tinier than me!"

"Is he? Oh, you're my height now."

"Does that mean we still have hopes to grow as tall as shishou?"

"Oh my god, I think we do."

"Cute cute cute cute AAAAAAH I WANNA SQUISH YOU!"

Cue Tobirama's shocked squeak when Ayame pulled him into a crushing hug, which was an adorable sight to behold since Ayame has hit her growth spurt recently and was tall and strong enough to hold Tobirama till the boy was practically dangling off the grounds.

Kagami didn't even know if he could stop Ayame (and the kids) from smothering Tobirama with love.

"Do you want to see the labs?"

Tobirama blinked. "Labs?" He asked, perking up a little bit straighter now. "We could afford labs?"

"Yes! Our labs! At the clan's compound," Ayame answered enthusiastically, still holding on Tobirama's hands. "They're big and well-equipped. You love them so much."

Tobirama shifted his bewildered gaze to Izuna. "Our clan has labs?"

"No no no no," one of the boys piped in before Izuna could answer. "Our clan has labs."

Tobirama frowned. He opened his mouth to ask, but the only noise that escaped him was a surprised half-squeak half-shriek as Ayame apparently could no longer hold herself back and has decided to keep Tobirama imprisoned in her embrace while the rest of the children erupted to an organised cheer.

"Let's go! Let's go!" The younger children cheered. "To the labs!"

Tobirama's face softened at them. He wriggled around in Ayame's embrace until his hand could reach out to ruffle the children's hair. The act seemed like an automated instinct, and his hesitant smile grew wider when the smaller children beamed and basked in his touch.

"Okay," he breathed out with an obliging smile, voice fond and gentle—a reminisce of how he was when he was two feet taller—but his expression switched to crestfallen and hesitant as he turned towards Izuna. "Can I?"

Izuna internally whimpered. How could one say 'no' to that?

"Izuna-sama and Kagami-nii should head to the Clan Head's meeting now," Ayame said, giving a stern look at both Clan Head. "You two are already late as it is. We'll keep him company while you attend to your responsibilities."

Kagami openly rolled his eyes as Ayame once again captured the half-free Tobirama into a crushing hug.

"Shishou, since you're smaller than me now, can I piggyback you?" she asked the blushing boy, making a show of her strength as she lifted him up. "You're not heavy at all."

"No! I want to piggyback shishou!"

"No, me! I'm the biggest!"

"Me!"

"Me," Ayame hissed possessively. "I'm the Clan Heir."

Tobirama stared blankly at the arguing children as he was still stuck in Ayame's crushing embrace and was probably too shocked to react.

"Um, I can walk on my own?" he squeaked out, seemingly that he has no idea what to do, suddenly being at the centre of attention and love like this.

The arguing children stopped their bickering to meet his gaze.

"But shishou—" One of them started.

"You always piggyback us."

"All the time."

"And we can't do the same to you before because you're sooo tall."

"So, this is our chance."

Tobirama shot a helpless gaze at Kagami and Izuna.

Kagami resisted a sigh but has already slipped into his Clan Head mode as he sent a stern gaze towards the children.

"Children," he started, putting all commotion into dead silence as the kids stared up to him, recognising the tone of authority in his voice. "Release him this instance," he ordered, squaring his shoulders and steeled his nerves when they tried to use the puppy eyes on him. "You're making him uncomfortable."

"But—"

"Later," he said firmly, not wavering even against the horde of pleading puppy eyes. "You're supposed to see the quartermaster to discuss your trap designs, aren't you?"

"But, but—"

"I approve," Kagami said, gesturing towards the abandoned traps. "Good job as always," he added with the usual business-like tone that was mixed with enough hint of pride. "Now, move along and go meet the quartermaster. She has been waiting for you."

He then shot Ayame a smug look.

"We all have duties to attend, aren't we?"

Ayame scowled at him.

"Move along," he ordered, finally retrieving Tobirama from Ayame's possessive grip. "Go. Don't make the quartermaster wait any longer," with a smile, Kagami then skillfully manoeuvred Tobirama away from the kids. "You'll see him again. For now, go."

Ayame's sulky glare at him spoke for her feelings, promising pain and suffering—or a horrible prank, Kagami wasn't sure which was worst—even long after she and her minions have stomped their ways to the quartermaster.

Kagami could only smile in utter resignation.

The kids are going to prank him for this, he just knew it.

A/N: Has anyone noticed that the Uchiha is kinda short as compared to other clan...? Madara, Obito and Izuna are all 170+ in canon but Hashi, Kakashi and Tobirama are all over 180cm. Headcanon that the Uchiha genetic is inclined towards the short side of the scale.