Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was dark. Heavy clouds covered the sky. Thunder echoed through the forest, while lightning lit up the sky for short period of times. The ground was slippery from all the snowy rain and the temperature was just barely above zero so that every breath was visible.

In middle of the storm a lone figure run from their pursuers. Unfortunately, they were low on chakra and the poison wasn’t any help either. It should have been an easy mission, it was an easy mission, a simple assassination of a low ranking noble, that played with the wrong guys. The problem came after the mission was a success.

On their way back home, they stumbled upon a group of Hagoromo Shinobi. It’d have been easy to avoid them, but something let them hesitate. There were several chakra signatures that radiated distress and weren’t coming from adults. It let their inner omega come forward, which also caused a low growl escaping their throat.

Being a sensor had its advantage of scouting the surroundings without coming to close to the enemy, especially if being one with a sensor radius of several miles. It was easy to determine the number of enemies, and it wasn’t a number they wouldn’t be able to handle, not with the right strategy.

Looking up at the sky, they knew it wouldn’t be long until the storm hit. So, they followed the group in a safe distance and attacked with the first thunder covering their own sounds. It was over in minutes.

What was left were only three children between the age of four and seven. The oldest being a Nara, the second oldest an Aburame and to their surprise the youngest being an Uchiha, with an Sharingan (Heaven’s eye) that probably just activated and let them slightly flinch. It wasn’t very well known, but over the years they observed that the activation of a Sharingan is mostly triggered by very strong feelings, mostly during a traumatic event like watching a friend or family member die. How that works exactly, they couldn’t find out yet. To do so they would need an Uchiha willing to let them examine their eyes or a corpse, but neither the first nor the second was an option. And they for sure wouldn’t experiment on a child that was barely out of their diapers.

It took them a while to convince the children that they meant no harm and offered to accompany them to their clan members, which weren’t far away. The two older kids accepted their offer, and it wasn’t long until they were found by their respective clan members, though the rescuer decided it was better to stay out of sight with the Uchiha child pressed against their chest, and throat.

After that the problem was to get the Uchiha child close enough to their clan without possibly being detected themselves. There was no doubt that a searching party was already on the way, and knowing the Uchiha, they won’t have sent only two or three clan members, but most likely five or six if not more. A number they would have no chance to win against.

Just as they had the thought, several chakra signatures entered their current observation radius, one being clear that of Uchiha Madara, a raging wildfire that made it difficult to detect all the smaller ones around him, but just as their suspected, there were more than six people.

Unfortunately, they had not much of options, to be precise, there was no other option as to wait until the group was close enough to reach the child before something could happen. In addition, the wound they received during the fight, hadn’t stopped bleeding and from the dwindling feeling of their limbs, the weapon that pierced their skin had been poisoned. It also started to affect their chakra reserves, which in addition influenced their sensory range, which they needed to navigate through the darkness of the storm.

The only chance to survive the encounter with the Uchiha was to abandon the child and to reach Senju territory before the Uchiha even knew they were there, which on the other hand meant to leave the child without any protection, which wasn’t an option either. It might be a child from an enemy clan, but no child deserved to die alone in the wilderness. A flash of an older boy, bloodied and surrounded by enemies entered their mind, and they were quick to push that thought aside and to focus on the current situation.

They thought for a minute until an idea struck. They could try their new technique. The chakra loss would be very high, and it’ll probably allow the poison to work quicker on their system, but it’d still increase their chance of escape, especially with the right timing.

Deciding then ten minutes was enough of waiting, they used their new developed technique and left the unaware child, running in the opposite direction of the incoming Uchiha, hoping they would be far enough away before the Uchiha noticed their presence.

Unfortunately, as soon as they turned their plan into action, the storm increased in intensity. Not only that, but they also missed the lone figure that had separated from the group somewhere on the way and was soon crossing their path. So here they were now. More stumbling than running through the forest with their fast-depleting chakra reserves while trying to dodge the pursuer that wouldn’t give up their hunt.

Fate seemed to be against them, and it wasn’t long as something hit their legs and sent them to the ground. They tried to stand up, but before they could something heavy landed on their back. Black dots begun clouding their already blurry vision either due to the blood loss or the poison they didn’t know, most likely it was both.

Their body was moved forcefully until they laid on their back. Only barely they noticed a hand moving in direction of their mask. They tried to stop it, but the next moment their mask was already ripped off. With blurry eyes they looked at a face with red eyes and what they thought was a sinister smile.

The brief second must have been enough to be pulled into a Genjutsu by the Sharingan, or maybe they just lost consciousness. They didn’t know. Their last thought before the darkness overtook them was that at least it wasn't Uchiha Madara who killed them, knowing full well that it would break their brother's heart.

----

The sound of metal against metal echoed through the near forest, indicating another fight between Uchiha and Senju. It wasn’t something unusual. For centuries, the two clans were the biggest rivals and met at least once in a week on a new battlefield.

It wasn’t that there hadn’t been attempts of making peace during those centuries, but never did it last for even longer than a month. Too great was the hate between them. The slightest misstep of one member of either clan was enough to break the peace and renew the fight. For a long time neither clan asked for a ceasefire or peace treaty until one day a boy started to have a dream.

It had been a month since Tobirama thought he was going to die. He barely remembered what happened that stormy night, nor what happened after he lost consciousness. His last clear memories were that of red eyes and an eerie smile. Then nothing.

The next thing he knew was waking up in his bed back in the Senju compound two days later. As he asked his older brother about it, Hashirama told him that he found him near the Senju compound, bloodied, unconscious, and with clothes drenched and tattered. Nothing unusual in a life of a Shinobi but having survived the encounter and whatever happened after was still surprising when you consider the circumstances.

At the end, Tobirama shrugged it off. Either his memories would come back and reveal how he made it back to the compound or not. There was no point in thinking about something that you may never find an answer to. He accepted it as a stroke of luck and continued his life as always.

However, his luck seemed to run out, again. Since the morning Tobirama felt nauseous and his chakra was slightly unbalanced, which he both reasoned with having barely slept the past couple of days and with too little of food. He had been on another mission the past two weeks, which should have only lasted for ten days instead of fourteen. However, the nobles he had been tasked to escort liked to take much longer brakes in the towns they passed. In addition, they have been attacked several times by some groups, mostly bandits, Tobirama was quick to eliminate them, but one group had two Shinobis within them, which took more effort to get rid of.

At the end, it left Tobirama with little left of his rations for his two-day trip back to the Senju compound, and even less sleep because he was in constant alert with senses stretched out as far as possible, wanting to avoid something similar happening as on his prior mission, which had been still fresh in his mind.

Therefore, he wasn’t in his best condition when the bells alerted them that one of their patrols were in a fight and needed back up. As always when they were confronted with the Uchiha, Hashirama took it as a chance to convince Madara, who he still considered a friend, to agree to a peace treaty. And as always Madara declined Hashirama’s offer of peace and like always it ended in a fight with Tobirama vs. Izuna and Hashirama vs. Madara.

And here they were now, again on a battlefield close to the Naka River that parted their two territories.

However, this time Tobirama could barely keep up with Izuna. His senses were a mess, and the more he tried to concentrate his chakra, the dizzier he became.

“What’s up with you Senju. Seems not to be your best day to fight me. Maybe you’d just give up and let me take your head.” Izuna mocked. Tobirama gritted his teeth, but otherwise stayed silent. In a way Izuna was right, this was indeed not a good day to fight him. But Tobirama couldn’t stay home knowing that if it wasn’t him fighting Izuna, then it would be one of his other clan members, which would definitely end with their certain death, worse it’d probably cost much more members their life, and Tobirama couldn’t risk that. As the heir of the Senju clan, it was his responsibly to keep them and his brother safe.

Trying to clear his vision, Tobirama missed Izuna moving and appearing right in front him. With his Sharingan active Izuna tried to catch Tobirama in a Genjutsu, but out of reflex Tobirama closed his eyes, which on the other hand allowed Izuna to kick him into the side followed by a fist punch hard enough to send Tobirama flying several meters backwards.

Unfortunately, he had not much time to get his composure back as Izuna already prepared to throw his fire jutsu at him. To block the fireball flying in his direction, Tobirama used his water release technique to create a large water dragon as a shield. When both elements collided, it covered the near area in a thick mist.

Tobirama breathed heavily to keep his nausea in check. He was also sure that at least one of his ribs was bruised if not broken.

What Tobirama missed when preparing to throw several kunai next, was the Uchiha behind him. So, he was more than surprised as something sharp pierced his body and caused sudden pain flooding his system.

He let his head fall and saw the top of a sword coming out of his stomach.

“Got you.”, a voice said close to his ear, “Thought you could escape me, demon? Wrong.” The sword was pulled back slowly, and Tobirama could only groan at the sensation of flesh and tendons being cut. The man stood, a hand on Tobirama’s shoulder, holding him in place. Then followed another stab, this time through his upper torso, piercing his lung.

“Haro?” The mist cleared and allowed Tobirama to see Izuna standing a few feet away from him. “Wh…”

“I’m just finishing what I couldn’t end last time, and what you failed to do any other times on the field. Truly I don’t know why you had so many difficulties with it. He’s just a weakling, like all omegas are.” The Uchiha roughly pulled the sword out of his victim. Tobirama could feel how blood begun to fill his lung and how it made its way up through his airway and into his mouth.

“Wh…Wait. An Omega?”

“Yes. And for a Senju a very pretty one, I must admit that. What a waste, but at least I had some fun with him, the last time I saw him. Little bitch didn’t even fight when I took my revenge. It’s just too bad we were interrupted before I’d kill him.” Tobirama’s eyes widen, and he tried to move away, but the Uchiha grabbed his hair and pulled him back forcefully.

“I’m not done with you yet, bitch. Your head is mine.” The Uchiha forced Tobirama’s head back to expose his throat. Cold metal touched his skin a second later, and Tobirama could only think that yet again this will be his end.

At the same time the metal cut into his flesh, several vines broke through the surface, forcing Izuna and the other Uchiha to jump backwards. The latter hadn’t let go of his sword though, and therefore caused an even bigger and deeper cut when retreating.

Through the force of it, Tobirama’s weakened body also followed the movement of the hand in his hair and started to fall backwards. But before he could hit the ground, his falling body was caught by Hashirama, who stared at him in shock and fear.

“Otouto.”

“An-Anija.” Tobirama gurgled, which also caused him to cough heavily, spitting up blood at the same time. The taste of it also triggered his nausea to come back with so much force, that he couldn’t stop retching and vomiting. Fortunately, Hashirama was quick enough to turn Tobirama on his side, so he wouldn’t drown on his own spit and blood.

“An-i-ja.”

“Shhh. Don’t speak. Your Anija will heal you. You’re safe.” Hashirama tried to be calm, but there was unmistakably panic in his voice.

Tobirama was gasping for breath, when he felt a shaky hand on his throat and another on his chest, followed by something warm entering his body. His brother must have moved him on his back so he could use both his hands freely to perform his iryō ninjutsu, which explained the warm feeling of chakra flooding his system.

Staring into Hashirama’s brown desperate eyes, Tobirama couldn’t stop himself mumbling. “M’sorry. My fault…wasn’t good…felt bad…should have not fight…but…clan…protect.”

“No, it’s my fault. I’d have known better. I’d have known that you needed more rest. I’d have seen that you weren’t feeling well. Please, Tobira. It’s not your fault. I just wanted the fight to end. This is exactly the reason why I wanted our clans to become friends. I can’t lose you otouto.” Hashirama sobbed.

“Tsk. Our clans will never be friends.” Haro muttered. When Hashirama lifted his head to glare at him, he saw several other Uchiha nodding at the statement, including Izuna. He turned his gaze to Madara who stared at his clan member darkly.

“Madara?”

He didn’t saw Madara turning his head to him, because a wet cough alerted Hashirama to look down at his brother, who had closed his eyes by then and was paler than Hashirama had ever seen him.

“Tobi? Come on, otouto. Stay with me.” He redoubled his efforts and was even more shocked when he felt a very tiny chakra signature suddenly answering his own.

“Tobirama.”, someone yelled and was kneeling next to them the next second. “Oh, kami.”

“Touka.”

“I know, I know.” The female alpha Senju turned and yelled. “Taka, run back to the compound and inform the healers that we have an emergency. Two stabs, one through the stomach and another through the chest, also a cut at the throat.”

“Y-yes, Touka-sama.” The kunoichi turned back and looked at Hashirama. Only then, she noticed his very pale and shocked expression.

“Hashirama?”

“Touka. He…he is…it should not…”

“Come on Hashirama. To’ra needs medical care urgently. Everything else…can wait. And remember that we are still on a battlefield with enemies close by.” She looked over his shoulder with a scowl.

“You’re right…let’s go.” Hashirama stood with his unconscious brother in his arms. Though before he run off, he turned a last time to his once former friend, expression blank, and eyes no longer brown but a dark green mixed with some alpha red.

“I won’t seek revenge, no matter what happens, but next time our clans fight, Madara, I won’t hold back either. You don’t want peace? Fine. But don’t blame me and my clan for any further losses within the Uchiha. Keep away from our land. Any Uchiha daring to step on it again, will die." Without losing any more time, Hashirama started to run as fast as he never did before.

The Uchiha watched them go with slight mixed feelings. There was something unsettling about Hashirama and it let a few guts twist uncomfortably. Never have they seen eyes like this.

Madara, having not expected Hashirama’s harsh threating words, could only stare in shock after his former friend and think that today his clan had made the biggest mistake.

Chapter Text

Back at the Uchiha compound, Madara sat on the ground in perfect seiza, facing the Uchiha elders with Izuna on his right and Hikaku on his left. Behind them sat Haro and the other members of the clan, quietly watching and listening to Madara’s report of the battle that ended abruptly a day ago.

“So, the demon finally met his end, and to repeat it, at the hands of my own son. Have I understood that correctly, Madara-sama?” Elder Uchiha Hjouske asked with a smug smile.

“Haro-san, indeed managed to seriously injure the heir of the Senju clan, but it is unknown if Senju Tobirama succumbed to his injuries. We only know that he was still alive when the Senju clan head transported him back to their own compound.” Madara repeated in a neutral tone.

“But you must admit that it is very unlikely that he’ll survive such injuries. Alone the stab through his chest seems to have punctured a lung that caused him spitting blood. He might be already dead.”

“If he’s dead then I’m sure we’d know it.”

“How do you mean?” Elder Uchiha Tsukiyomi asked. “Didn’t Senju Hashirama say he wouldn’t seek revenge?”

“He said that, but I doubt he’d stay calm if he lost his last brother. I’m sure we would either have felt his raging chakra or have seen other signs of his grieving. After all, he has the Mokuton. And from what I understood so far, it’s reacting to his emotions.”

“Hm, indeed. So that means the demon might be still alive.” She hummed.

“That’s my guess.”

“So, what else is there to discuss and why did you call for the entire clan? Reporting us the defeat of the demon surely wasn’t the reason for such an audience.”

“Indeed not. There are two reasons I called the clan. One, the head of the Senju clan, Senju Hashirama, warned us to never step a foot on their territory ever again. Accidentally or not, should that happen, the Uchiha will die.”

“Huh? I don’t understand. Didn’t they kill Uchiha just because of that reason before?” Elder Hjouske snarked.

“No, not if they haven’t known or deemed it as unimportant, because we just stayed close to the border until we reached our own territory when returning from missions, or vice-versa. You know how long it costs us to reach certain areas in Hi no Kuni and that we often trespass other clans’ territory to shorten the way. Nothing the other clans don’t do as well, but unless it comes to a confrontation, or a certain line is crossed there are no fights. In case of the Senju, we even had more leeway since Hashirama had become the head of his clan.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Elder Hjouske asked bored and like he heard that for the first time.

“Yes. And I’m very sure I mentioned it already in one of my other reports.” Madara scowled at the elder. “Do I have to be worried that your memories seem effected?” Now it was on the other man to scowl at Madara.

“Don’t forget to whom you are speaking. You may be the clan head, but you still must respect your elders.”

“As clan head, I speak to you like I want. And maybe you start to respect my position as clan head before you demand any respect in return.” Just for a second Madara activated his Mangekyō Sharingan which let several elders grit their teeth.

“Neither of you can deny that there were less fights with the Senju since Hashirama is clan head, despite the fact we are still enemies. Just in case you haven’t noticed.” Madara added, and then continued after another moment of silence passed.

“Now let me come to the second reason I called the clan. This regards the event when Kagami-kun had been kidnapped and what Haro-san had done that night.”

Madara turned to his clan member. “Haro. What do you meant when you said your last encounter with the Senju heir had been fun?” Several eyebrows vanished in hair lines, while elder Hjouske glared darkly at Madara.

“Nothing really, I haven’t known, at first, I was chasing the Senju demon, after all he was wearing a mask. It was only after I caught him and removed the mask that I realized who it was whom I was chasing. And wasn’t that a nice surprise.”, the Uchiha laughed.

“What did you do?”

“Again nothing. We fought and he escaped. End of story. When I saw him on the battlefield yesterday, I just waited for the perfect opportunity to end what I started. I truly don’t know why you had so many difficulties with him, Izuna-san. It was easy.”

“Easy.” Izuna mouthed silently, gritting his teeth. “You stabbed him from behind. You waited until you were sure that he wouldn’t see you coming. Which for sure he’d have if he was in a better condition.”

“Why does it even matter?”

“It matters to me. I won’t stand for it if you claim it was easy to kill that bastard, especially if you said it’s true and he’s indeed an omega.” Several gasps were heard, especially from those who haven’t heard about the demon’s second gender status, yet.

“Izuna.” Madara growled.

“No. Something felt off. He wasn’t fighting as he usually did. He was struggling and made mistakes that he never would have done if he’d have been in his peak condition. And I doubt he’d have allowed someone to sneak up behind him, not with his sensor abilities. I’d have ended it myself if Haro hadn’t interfered.”

“But I did. And he hadn’t seen me coming. Why are we even discussing it? We’d celebrate that this monster who had killed countless of our clan members is finally gone or will be soon.” Madara saw several heads nodding in agreement, but there were also a few who looked slightly disturbed or were frowning.

“Are you listening to yourself? Haven’t you just said he’s a weakling? Now, you claim him to be a monster killing our clan members. Does it mean our people that have fallen at his sword had been weaklings too.” Izuna challenged with a growl.

“I didn’t say that. Our clan isn’t weak.” Haro growled right back, baring his teeth.

“Then you admit that Senju Tobirama isn’t a weakling, and that you just took advantage of his state?” Madara asked with one eyebrow raised.

“Fine, he isn’t a weakling, but he’s still an enemy. Who cares how he finds his end at all. Can we finally end this meeting?”

“No.”

“No? What else is there to discuss?”

“I come to it. Just bear with me a little longer.”

Haro frowned but gave Madara a wave to continue.

“We had found the perpetrators that had kidnapped little Kagami. You remember right?”

“The Hagoromo, yeah, I know. Traitorous pack.” Haro spat.

“We also found weapons with poison on them.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Who do you think had killed them?” Izuna frowned, then widen his eyes in shock, head snapping in direction of his brother. Hikaku also slightly widen his eyes but refrained to show anymore reactions to it.

“Dunno. Whoever it was clearly missed to kill the Senju demon. We’d have known the Senju are working with bloodline hunters. It’s one more reason why it’s good thing if he dies. I took revenge, not only for Kagami’s kidnapping but anyone else who had been killed on the hand of that monster.”

“Haro. Describe what the Senju wore that night. You said he wore a mask. How did it look like?”

“Wh…”, he reared back when he was met with Madara’s Sharingan, “He…I think it was a cat mask? Or a fox. It…It had ears like that and…and three red stripes on each side. I…I’m not sure. It was dark and I hadn’t paid attention to it that much. The rest of his clothes were the usual Shinobi black, I guess. He didn’t wear anything that would have betrayed him as a Senju. As I said, I only knew who he was when I ripped the mask from his face.”

“You know when I arrived at the location where Kagami was, he was in the arms of someone wearing black clothes and a mask. At first, I thought they were one of the kidnappers, and ordered them to let go of Kagami. They followed the command and put Kagami down, but to my surprise it was Kagami who refused to let go of the mask person. I don’t know what he said, but after a minute Kagami finally let go and made his way to me. I used the chance to take in the person, and do you know what I saw?”

There was a heavy silence before Madara continued. “The mask they wore, was the same as you just described. There was also a red spot covering their side. Then before I could ask if they were alright, they vanished with a puff of smoke.”

“Huh? You mean they run off?”

“No, I mean like I said it. They just popped. I already wondered why they felt so weird, but as that happened, I realized it must have been some kind of clone. A really good one.”

“What does it have anything to do with the Senju?” Haro snarled, impatiently.

“Are you dumb?” Izuna shrieked, while Hikaku stared at Madara in disbelief.

“Are you saying that it was the demon that rescued Kagami?” Tajima asked from his spot next to elder Uchiha Tsukiyomi. Somewhere in the crowd a woman straightened her back.

“I’m not completely sure, but if my guess is correct then it was indeed Senju Tobirama who saved Kagami. Kagami developed his Sharingan that night as well, which for a four-year-old is equally sad, impressive, and dangerous. Therefore, I blocked his Sharingan for now, but before that I also looked into his memories. It was indeed the mask man that rescued him and two other children from other clans. Which means there is a very high chance that Haro killed or at least tried to kill the one person that saved Kagami.”

“You have no proof.”

“I have your memories, don’t I. It’d be easy to confirm if the person I saw is the same you chased that night. You know very well that I can see any differences with help of my Sharingan.”

“I won’t allow it.” Haro spat, a little too fast for Madara not to get suspicious.

“Why not? I see no harm in it. If anything, we will just know if we might own one of our enemies a debt or not. And I think we all hate to own an enemy a debt, so better clear it up as soon as possible.”

“No.” Haro shook his head. And was that a quiver of panic in his voice? The frown in Madara’s face deepened and he shared a look with his father, and then with Hikaku, both making an equally suspicious face like him. Madara’s gaze switched to Izuna, who looked also irritated by the display before his gaze wandered over to the other clan members, who showed similar reactions.

He just passed one of the female betas when his eyes snapped back to her or more to her disbanded belly. And suddenly something clicked. That couldn’t be, right? He wouldn’t. Madara forced himself to remember the battle, what he saw, heard and felt just a day before and…it was a possibility.

“Haro.” Madara begun. When his eyes met with Haro’s, his Mangekyō Sharingan was already active, and before someone, especially Haro, could react he forced his mind into the other. He needed to be sure.

Madara stumbled back from his spot after he retreated from the others mind, while Haro laid on the floor heavily panting.

“You bastard. Now, I know why you didn’t tell anyone about your little encounter with the Senju in the first place. You raped him. He wasn’t even conscious. How disgusting can someone be.” Madara snarled, unaware that he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. What followed was a shocked silence until the voice of his father, Tajima, broke through the fog of his and everyone else mind.

“Mind to repeat that, Madara? What do you mean, he raped him?”

Madara’s agitation increased even further, and not in a good sense when he looked at his father.

“He knocked the Senju to the ground and ripped of his mask. There wasn’t even time for the Senju to give consent to anything, not that he could, because just when he met Haro’s eyes, he lost consciousness. And I saw the resignation in his eyes as well. The Senju heir sure thought that he wouldn’t wake up after closing his eyes. Haro didn’t seem to care, already lost in his rut, his damn rut, and took his pleasure from the Senju’s body. He knotted him at least six times until his Sharingan deactivated. I’m not sure, but something or someone seemed to have knocked Haro out. I saw little movement, but it was too quick to identify what it was.”

The words hung in the air like a sword for almost an entire minute before all hell broke loose.

“Rape?”

“That can’t be true...”

“Haro wouldn’t…”

“It must have been the Senju…”

“You can’t seriously…”

“Be quiet.” The crowd stopped when Tajima’s alpha voice rung through the meeting hall. He may no longer be clan head, but he was still a powerful alpha.

“Hikaku, I want you to confirm what Madara said.”

“Tajima, your son just forced himself into someone’s else mind. You can’t just…”

“I can and I will. This is a very serious accusation.” Tajima interrupted Hjouske with a snarl.

“I agree with Tajima. Do as he say Hikaku-san.” Elder Tsukiyomi cut in before her fellow elder could give another protest.

Hikaku stumbled on his feet and hesitated just for another second before he forced Haro to show him the memories as well. With disgust and slightly pale, Hikaku confirmed what Madara said.

“He’s guilty. There is no doubt. Haro raped the Senju heir.”

“By Amaterasu. This is bad.” Another elder muttered under their breath.

Then they heard laughter, and everyone turned to Haro, who was still lying on the ground. “The white demon, an omega, who had thought. My alpha was very much excited of the prospect to take pleasure from such a rare specimen. And so, I did.”

“You raped him.” Madara truly wanted to vomit. He couldn’t see the faces of his clan members behind him, but as sensor he felt the shock and disgust.

“Rape? No. I wouldn’t call it rape. Call it revenge.”

“Why didn’t you just kill him?”

“My rut. The chase must have triggered it. It was already close for it to start before we even left the compound.” Haro shrugged, ignoring the glares from his clan. Instead, he stared at Madara with a smug smile, who thought to see madness behind the other’s eyes.

“Was he in heat?”

“Huh? No, I don’t think so. He didn’t smell like an omega in heat. And I can tell, because he was soaked with his blood, had a nasty gash in his side. An omega in heat smells stronger.”

Haro sighed. “Why do you even care? He’s just a Senju, an omega Senju. I see no problem to take some pleasure from him. And it’s not like he hadn’t deserved it. I only regret that it didn’t last longer. It was so much fun.”

“You’re sick. He wasn’t even aware of what you were doing. He couldn’t even fight back.”

“And? I lost myself in my rut. My alpha didn’t care, very much high from the chase before I caught him.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing. And you call yourself an Uchiha. You’re a disgrace.” Izuna snarled.

“Tsk. You’re just jealousy that I took down your rival.”

“You…”

“Madara-sama.” A sharp voice cut off whatever Izuna wanted to say and suddenly a female alpha stood next to Madara. “May I speak?”

“Sango. Of course.”

“Izuna. What exactly did you feel when you fought Tobirama-sama.” Izuna reared a little back at the sudden question and the added honored title to the name.

“I…It felt off, as I said. I don’t know how to describe it. It was like the more we fought the more of his chakra seemed to focus on something else instead of following his orders. In addition, he seemed having problems with his vision. His gaze was less focused, like looking at someone who is feeling sick or dizzy. Why are you asking?” Sango looked at the same female beta Madara had looked at before he invaded Haro’s mind. Izuna followed her gaze as did Madara, who whispered a low, "Shit", with closed eyes.

“Shit.” Izuna repeated much louder. “You think…No…No, no, no. It must be something else. It’d be just a simple cold.”

“Could you please share with the rest? What is much more disturbing than an Uchiha who is a rapist?” Another elder yelled.

“Maybe the possibility that said Uchiha got an omega pregnant that is not only not from our but an enemy clan?” Madara yelled right back.

Several gasps were heard, and Madara let his gaze wander over his clan members that stared at him in shock and disbelief, until his eyes were back on Haro, who had turned pale.

“What? You said it yourself. You were in rut, and he’s an omega. Even if it wasn’t him who rescued Kagami, it was still he who you had raped while being in rut.”

“I didn’t rape him. And you can’t be sure.”

“Tsk, you may not believe my claim of him being the one who saved Kagami, and maybe it was indeed someone else, which I doubt, but it’s a fact that it was him you laid with. And all of you know that an omega can get pregnant outside their heat, even if the chance isn’t very high for it to happen. But Haro was in rut and spilled his fertile sperm into the omega who might or might not have been in a minor heat.” Madara argued.

“You are speaking nonsense Madara.” Hjouske yelled, starting to come out from his own shock and being quick to speak in his son’s defense. “He’d have slept with someone else before or after. There is no way to proof it’s my son’s child.”

“Oh, we will have proof the moment we have to stand in front of a child or teenager with the Sharingan that isn’t part of our clan.”

“Shouldn’t that be more reason to prey to Amaterasu that he dies.” Haro sneered. That caused everyone to freeze on their spot, inclusive Hjouske and the other elders.

“I…he didn’t say that did he?” Someone in the crowd whispered, though it was still loud enough for everyone to hear it.

“What?” Haro snapped. “If he dies it solves all our problems. And if he does not die then just let him lose the abomination, who cares.”

“Abomination? You call your own child an abomination?”

“No child of mine will have a Senju as their mother.” Haro growled this time, taking in an aggressive stance.

“Then maybe your alpha should have thought of that before jumping and knotting an omega, that might or might not have been in heat. You know very well how poison can manipulate someone’s hormones. He’d have gone into a minor heat for all you know. Damn it. And rape? The moment you noticed that he’s a male omega, you’d should have run for your life.” Madara stood too, and mirrored Haro’s stance.

“Again, I didn’t rape him. If you speak about rape, then it was him, because he tricked me into my rut.”

“Hikaku, what is the first thing that every omega and alpha has to learn after they present and before leaving the compound?” Madara growled, even deeper than before.

Understanding flashed through several faces, and Haro himself blanched at the question. Hikaku cleared his throat.

“Every omega and alpha must learn to control their respective instincts when being in close distance of an omega in heat or an alpha in rut. It serves as precaution to prevent sleeping with someone, may it be a civilian or an enemy or even an ally from another clan, and possibly get them pregnant, especially in case of an Uchiha alpha crossing path with an omega in heat.”

“Are you still accusing the Senju to have raped you? A Senju that was poisoned and injured? A Senju, who you said, wasn’t even in heat? Damn it, I saw it with my own eyes. Hikaku saw it. Who are you even trying to convince to not have done it.”

“He is the Senju demon, wh…”

“Doesn’t matter in the slightest who or what he is. You slept with an omega who isn’t part of our clan. I know what I saw. He never gave his consent and there was no indication that he was trying to seduce you, not one bit. His entire body language was telling the opposite.” Madara yelled.

“Who cares? He’s just a Senju?” Haro yelled right back.

“Who cares? Since when are the Uchiha rapists? We are thieves, assassins, killers, murderers, or whatever else people call us for our work, but never, never have we been called a clan of rapists. What do you think will happen if the other clans hear about it?”

“You can’t be serious, we aren’t rapists.” An elder yelled.

“That won’t matter if it comes out that one of us did the deed. And it’ll come out sooner or later. Neither of the clans will believe our claim to not have done it, not now. We might have had a chance if he had gone straight to the Daimyo the day after it happened. Even if there was a witness, we’d have accused them of accomplice. But that alone would be a big IF.”

“Shit.”

“In worst case, the Senju will go themselves to the Daimyo and demand a fee from the Uchiha, one we might not even be able to pay. And if we can’t pay, they might ask for Haro’s head.”

“Now, wait a second. We won’t just hand over my son.” Hjouske jumped from his seat.

“And what will you do? Will you sacrifice the entire clan? Will you fight Hashirama yourself? This stupid slip up can cost us everything. Get it in your head already.”

“You only say that, so we might finally agree to accept the peace offer from the Senju. But that will never happen.”

“That train might already have passed us, elder Hjouske. Your son pronounced loudly enough for everyone to hear that our clan will never be friends. And like ducklings most Uchiha nodded in agreement. Yesterday, the Senju clan head came to a decision, and not to our favor. I’m very sure he will no longer pester us with any peace offers, don’t worry. Unfortunately, he might find another way to let his dream come true, even if it isn’t like he wanted.”

“What do you mean, not like he wanted?” One of the other elders asked.

Madara stared like he would speak to a puppy. “If I remember correctly, the Uchiha aren’t the only clan in Hi no Kuni. And as I already said, most clans don’t like rapists, that includes the Nara, Akamichi, Yamanaka, Aburame, Inuzuka, Hatake, Sarutobi and Hyuuga.”

“And you think they might…do what exactly? Do you think they will alley with the Senju just because one of them was raped? Why is rape worse than killing them?”

“Because we kill to protect our clan, to earn money, or defend our allies. There is honor in doing that. Rape has no honor. It doesn’t serve any purpose, except to steal a clan’s bloodline. In this case we can’t even say that because it was Haro, who freely has given our bloodline to another clan. I can already see the smug faces of the Hyuuga. ‘The mighty Uchiha clan priding themselves to be oh so protective of their Dōjutsu and yet one of them can’t even control themselves in proximity of a helpless omega of an enemy clan no less. How pathetic.’ They surely will have a field day if they hear about it.”

Several faces turned bright red in anger at the image, but Madara ignored them.

“We are Shinobi. For a Shinobi honor is pointless.” Hjouske spat.

“Maybe, but it doesn’t change the facts. The Nara might very well cancel our contract, and we better pray that they won’t.”

“No. They are our main source for medicine. We can’t lose the contract between them and us.” A healer in the background exclaimed in shock. Madara thought that maybe now they finally begin to understand what catastrophe might be rolling in their direction.

“Ah well, we better stock up our supplies, but oh that isn’t possible either.”

“What? Why?” Another in the crowd yelled. Madara didn’t look who it was, eyes on the elders. He’d see the mischievous glints in the two female elders, Masumi and Tsukiyomi, the only two among the elders that weren’t interested to continue the fight with the Senju, though they both lost family members to them. Elder Kaneda was mostly neutral, but Madara could see his view is shifting in his direction as well as that of several others. And he thought to see something in his own father’s eyes, who hated the Senju as much as Izuna did.

Madara was so tired of keeping his mouth shut. It was much time for a much-needed wake-up call. He just wished to have done it much earlier. He wished he wouldn’t have listened to his brother.

“Why? Because instead of using our entire resources to prepare for the winter, to restock our empty stores, or just repair the houses that you know need it urgently, we use all our money to repair our armor and weapons at least once in a week. Again, we’ll not have enough food to comfortable come over the winter. Again, clan members will be cold and wonder if they may survive the next months. And let us not start with all the injuries we must treat after each fight and what the medicine costs us.” Silence filled the room for a moment.

“What did you think? That our resources are endless? I can barely send members on missions because most are recovering from the battles with the Senju and other clans. And to fight the battles, we need intact armor and weapons. There is barely enough money left to buy the needed medicine and what else we need for the winter.”

“Are you blaming us? You’re the clan head. The well-being of the clan is your responsibility.”

“Huh? Didn’t I tell you again and again about this issue? I can remember that I mentioned it just last week, but you didn’t want to hear about it. What have been your exact words? Aja, ‘Our clan must be ready to fight our enemies, especially the Senju. Our clan is strong and will survive the winter like always. But we can’t let the Senju look down at us. Fighting them must be our highest priority.’ Isn’t that what you said, elder Hjouske? So why is it suddenly me who is to blame. If I neglect to prepare our Shinobi for battle, then the blame would be on me to have not done enough. You must decide what you exactly want. Fighting the Senju and other clans at every possible opportunity or ignore them as long as they don’t pose a threat to us and instead using our resources to earn the needed money to stock up our supplies. You won’t get both.”

Hjouske gritted his teeth. “We had less issues the last two winters and managed them well enough.”

Madara laughed. “And why is that? Because we aren’t fighting the Senju on a weekly basis anymore. I told you since Hashirama is clan head we are involved in fewer battles with them. But it’s not enough. And you know it. We still have buildings that need repair, and so many more things. We only made it through the last two winters, because I invested any money I’d spare in food. That’s all.”

Madara could feel chakra spiking in the background.

“And you know what. Since Hashirama is distracted with saving his brother, he won’t send his clan to attack without him being there to protect them. I’ve enough mission requests on my table for at least half the clan. It’d be the perfect opportunity for our Shinobis to earn money without risking running in any Senju, at least not on a battlefield.”

“We could also use this opportunity to finally get rid of the Senju. They won’t even see us coming.” The elder snarled. Madara only stared dumbfounded.

Before he could open his mouth, Sango’s voice rose from the crowd behind him, again.

“Elder Hjouske. Do I understand this correct, that you care more about the defeat of the Senju then your own clan? Do I understand it correct, that because of your stubbornness our clan must suffer from short supplies through the winter, because our clan head is forced to use the available money for our armor and weapons so that we won’t die on the battlefield within a minute?”

“What, of course not.”

“Then why are we fighting the Senju?”

“They killed our clan members for centuries. They killed your brothers, Madara, they almost killed the twins, doesn’t it…”

“And we killed the brothers of the head and heir of the Senju clan. We aren’t any better. And instead of trying to end this endless killing cycle we send even more of our children, brothers, and sisters to their death. I’m so glad that Izuya and Misaki decided to become healers and therefore are only called when the battle is over.” Madara glanced at his youngest twin siblings behind him, giving them a fond smile before looking at Izuna with a sadder expression.

“Don’t you think there is not one day passing where I not fear it’ll be the last of Izuna? That every time we meet the Senju on the battlefield it’ll be me at the end that will grief yet another brother. I can’t even imagine what I’d do if Izuna would be killed in front of me, may it be at a hand of a Senju or by someone from another clan.”

“Are you pitying the clan head of the Senju? Damn it, they are enemies.” Hjouske yelled, hitting the armrest of his chair.

“I don’t pity him. I pity our own clan. Hashirama made a choice today. He chose his own brother over his own dream that he had since he was a child. He’ll no longer hold back. He’ll kill any Uchiha that dares to come after his family, and he won’t show any mercy when we meet on another battlefield. And in addition, I must fear that in fifteen or so years there will be one with our own blood on the other side of that damned battlefield, just because an alpha couldn’t control himself and keep his pants on.” Madara’s voice become louder and louder with each word.

“What are you talking about? He’s just a naïve idiot.”

“Kami, you’re so blind. You all are so blind.” Madara laughed, though he wanted to cry. “The only reason we are still standing is because Hashirama never intended to kill anyone of us. I may have the Mangekyō Sharingan, but he has the fucking Mokuton and should someone have missed it his own fucking Dōjutsu.”

“What?” Madara ignored the shocked calls, and just continued without a pause.

“If he wanted, he’d at least impale half of our warriors on the battlefield at once, if not all. I can just barely keep up with him without him trying to kill me. And what about his brother?”

“What about him? We are equals. And I’m very sure he didn’t hold back in any of our fights.” Izuna cut in, not believing that his brother could have any doubt about his fighting skills.

“Are you sure? Don’t think I haven’t observed your fights with him. Every time you meet, he seems to have another jutsu or kenjutsu in store. His chakra control seems also to become stronger and stronger with each battle. The water dragon he created yesterday was impressive enough, especially considering his condition.”

Izuna gaped but had no words. “Don’t misunderstand me Izuna. You are a great fighter, and I’m proud that you can keep up with him. But I fear there will be a day that won’t be the case any longer. And if it hadn’t happened before than it was yesterday that Hashirama was close losing his last brother, and that right in front of his eyes with an Uchiha holding the sword. Not to mention that it wouldn't even have been a quick and painless death, as the Uchiha thought it was okay to inflict as much pain as possible with two stabs to the stomach and chest, only to almost slit his throat in the process and let him bleed to death miserably.”

“Enough.” Another elder yelled.

“Enough? Why? Don’t you like to hear how an enemy is slaughtered like a pig? Oh wait. You only don’t like it when it happens to one of our own, right? When it’s an Uchiha causing the pain though, then everything is fine. After all it’s an enemy and they deserve it.” Madara stated with a mocked tone.

“Calm down Madara.” Tajima demanded in a calm voice. Madara closed his eyes and took a few breathes.

“I agree with Madara.” Sango, older sister of Hikaku and Madara’s cousin, spoke yet again.

“We are in an endless cycle. Does anyone even remember why we are fighting the Senju? Or is it just because we blame each other on both sides killing our loved ones? If that’s the case, then I won’t fight them any longer. I won’t send my children on a battlefield, just because you can’t let go of your grief. We almost lost Kagami a month ago, and if Madara-sama is right, then it was Tobirama-sama that rescued Naori’s son. I can’t fight someone that saved my nephew from a fate worse than death.”

“You can’t be serious. The Senju clan is our sworn enemy, I won’t allow our clan to fall on their knees before them.” Hjouske spat, something like madness glinting in his eyes. Even the other elders that normally agree with him, reared back from his outburst.

“I never expected that our clan fall to their knees in front of any Senju, or anyone else besides the Daimyo by the matter.” Madara stated more calmly, though he was anything but. “I don’t wish to continue this conversation. We’ll see soon enough how everything will work out. But for now, I’ll make sure that our clan will earn enough money to get our reserves stocked up. We only have a little over a month left until the traders stop supplying nearby markets.”

Without waiting for an answer Madara left to return to his own room in the main family house. There was a lot he had to think about, especially of what to do when Senju Tobirama is indeed pregnant with a child of Uchiha blood. He wished he’d have been able to agree to Hashirama’s peace offers, he truly did. The thought that it’d have been Izuna receiving the killing blow let him shiver.

As head of the clan, he could have simply agreed to the peace offers, but without the majority of the clan agreeing to the idea it’d fall apart faster than it had been established. The past had shown in. And sadly enough, Izuna was also one who fought him tooth and nails to get the idea of peace with the Senju out of his head.

And now that Madara might finally get the majority of the clan’s approval to make peace with the Senju, it might be too late, because he was sure Hashirama won’t ask again. He stopped in his tracks. ‘If he won’t ask, then it’ll probably up to me to reach out. I just wonder if he’ll accept.’ Madara looked up into the dark sky. “A ceasefire. Maybe a few months without a fight between our clans will let them see on both sides that peace is possible.” He muttered under his breath.

Chapter Text

It was dark outside, and everything was quiet. The only noises breaking the silence were the breathes of several sleeping patients, and the heavier breathes of Senju Tobirama. It had been two days since he was brought back to the compound bloodied and more dead than living, two days in which Hashirama didn’t only try to save the life of his brother, but also that of his niece or nephew.

The clan head of the Senju still couldn’t believe that all of that happened. He thought it’d be a fight like any other. Never had he thought that he might watch how his brother gets stabbed in the back, twice, and then almost have his throat slit, too. Something he’ll never forget for his entire life.

Losing Kawarama and Itama had been one thing, but actual seeing how your last remaining brother gets almost killed is on a complete other level. That wasn’t what Hashirama wanted, not after losing his youngest brothers. It's not that he didn't know that Tobirama could be killed when leaving for missions, but somehow Hashirama always thought that his little brother would outlive him, that Tobirama was too smart to be killed on the battlefield, let alone during a stupid mission.

How wrong he was. His brother not only got almost killed on a battlefield, he also was raped during one of his missions. There was no doubt in his mind that it was rape. Hashirama never sent his brother on honeypot missions, knowing how much Tobirama hated to be touched by strangers and people he doesn’t like. And there were no indications of his still teenage brother having a lover or anything. So, the only possible way for Tobirama getting pregnant was that someone had raped him.

Remembering the tattered clothes his brother had been found in a month ago, Hashirama couldn’t stop thinking that this might not have been the only time someone took advantage of Tobirama. And that almost threaten to take his sanity, because it was based on this reason why their father decided to force poison into his twelve-year-old omega son.

Butsuma always hated Tobirama for his weak body and appearance, especially the red eyes which in itself was an insult to his alpha pride and reminded him always of their century old enemy, the Uchiha. Therefore, Tobirama was not only forced to dye his hair and wear clothes that covered almost all of his skin, but also to wear a bandage around his eyes, which did not help his already poor eyesight and sensitivity in the slightest.

But when a ten-year-old Tobirama presented as an omega as well, Butsuma lost it. He tripled the time of Tobirama’s training sessions and was determined to beat any omega instinct out of his second son. When Tobirama’s first heat hit when he was twelve, Butsuma locked him into his room, alone, confused and without any supplies to get through his heat unscathed.

As Tobirama was finally allowed to leave his room again, he was dehydrated and lost enough weight that his bones were even more pronounced as usual. It took Hashirama several weeks to nurse Tobirama back to a reasonably healthy weight. But then their father sent Hashirama away on a mission and used this time to put his plan to make Tobirama infertile into action.

With two other Senju, Butsuma had stormed into Tobirama’s bedroom. Having been asleep, Tobirama had been much too confused to react in time. The two Senju had held him in place, while Butsuma forced his son’s mouth open to slip the open flask with poison into it.

Out of reflex Tobirama had swallowed, even if he tried not to. But Butsuma also put a hand over Tobirama’s mouth after removing the flask and forcing his head back, so the rest of the poison would also find its way into his stomach. Unfortunately, Butsuma wasn’t dumb, and waited until the first painful noises tried to leave Tobirama’s mouth.

Only then they let go, and again locked Tobirama into his room. They repeated this several more times until Hashirama interrupted them two days later as he returned earlier as planned from his mission.

It had been the first time that Hashirama used his Mokuton against his own father and clan members. He hadn’t killed them back then, but he used the vines the same way he did as the Uchiha held his sword against Tobirama’s throat.

Butsuma and the other two Senju had jumped away in an attempt to dodge them, but there wasn’t enough space in the room to succeed in their action, and therefore were quickly caught and roughly thrown out.

Butsuma had yelled at his son, but as he met Hashirama’s eyes, he reared back and even slightly took in a submissive position. Though he was quick to straighten his back when he realized it and stormed away, the other two Senju hot on his heels, reeking of fear.

Hashirama didn’t know how he had looked at that moment, but he knew that it was the day he rejected his father as pack alpha and took in the position himself, that the instinct to protect his brother overrode the instinct to obey his alpha father.

But it was also the day that he felt absolutely helpless. He had rushed to his brother’s side and hurried to take him to the medics. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much they could do. The poison already had done too much damage to Tobirama’s reproductive organs as it could be reversed.

As result, Tobirama hadn’t spoken for weeks, and distracted himself by creating a small lab that had become his refuge and where he stayed most of his time if not out on solo missions or not training with Hashirama or Touka, the only two clan members he still trusted.

Hashirama himself had refused to go on any mission if it meant Tobirama would be alone with their father. Hashirama didn’t care in the slightest as the elders protested and reminded him again and again of his responsibilities as a clan heir. He just stared at them without any emotions on display until they finally registered that Hashirama didn’t behave as an emotional whiny alpha like they were used to.

It's not like Hashirama liked this side of him, or better said didn’t like others to see him like this, but when it came down to his brother, he just stopped to care if others might fear him, especially when it kept their own father away from them.

And it wasn’t like that he often showed that side of him, he actually could count on one hand how often it happened. First when Butsuma poisoned Tobirama, second when he tried to truly kill him, which ended in his own death by Hashirama’s hand, whose Mokuton has fully awakened that day inclusive the changing of his eyes, and the third time two days prior when that damn Uchiha stabbed Tobirama in the back.

At the thought, Hashirama started to sob, again. Captured in his dark thoughts, he completely missed his cousin’s arrival and how Touka placed herself right in front of him, kneeling. He still sat on the ground with his legs bent against his chest, head hidden in his arms that rested on his knees and back leaning against the wall behind him.

“Hashirama.” She called him lowly. He didn’t answer her for several minutes, and she didn’t pressure him to do so.

“Tobirama was raped.”, came the silent voice from where Hashirama still hid his head. Touka’s eyes widen in shock, and she almost lost her balance.

“Wh…How? I thought…Who?” She growled at the end, not knowing what to ask first.

“My guess would be the Uchiha who had stabbed him on the battlefield. He didn’t say it directly, but what he said is indicating enough that he might have done it. Said that Tobirama didn’t even fight him.”

“Tobirama would never.”

“No, he wouldn’t. You remember how he looked a month ago?”

“Yes. Saw him in worse conditions, but…oh shit…wasn’t he poisoned? And his clothes…shit.” Touka cursed quietly, while Hashirama slightly moved his head, so he’d look at her.

“I’m very mad about it. I hadn’t thought that an Uchiha would stoop so low. However, thinking about it, I can’t stop wonder if that was the only time Tobirama had…you know…”

“No, Hashirama, no. Don’t do that. Don’t start rethinking about every mission Tobirama had left for. You know very well the risks, unfortunately it includes the risk of rape, but you also know how strong he is.”

“I know that, but it doesn’t change the fact that it had happened.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I know how unlikely it is that he has a lover, not that he couldn’t have any. He’s pretty enough to draw attention. And I know that he got a lot during his missions.”

“Did he tell you that he has a lover?” Hashirama growled and looked with displeasure at his cousin.

“No.”

“Me neither. And I trust Tobi that he’d have mentioned it, even if only subtle.”

“Okay, I can’t argue it, because you’re right. Still, there isn’t a reason to think he was raped more than once, because I know that he hadn’t come back poisoned before from a mission. Bloodied, chakra exhausted, yes, but never poisoned. And from how he had behaved I don’t think he knew it happened either.”

“How do you mean?”

“I have seen people that had been raped, Hashirama. Believe me To’ra hadn’t known. I know that he’s very controlled in showing his emotions, but it’s not only your mind that remembers what happened but also your body. And To’ra had no problem with any touch the past month or ever, despite his normal aversion to it.”

“You mean during our training sessions when we were training our taijutsu or when other people he doesn’t like touch him, right?”

“Yes. And if he came to the same conclusion as you when that bastard implied what he had done, then you’ll most likely see it yourself what I mean, especially if someone he dislikes comes to close or touches him, even if it’s just making slight contact when passing each other.”

“Makes sense. Tobi hadn’t known. I’m not even fully sure if he truly understood what had been implied by that bastard, though he looked as shocked as I had felt and tried to flee in reflex.” Touka bit her lower lip and looked over at her unconscious cousin. She let her gaze wander over the bandages around his neck, chest, and stomach. Hashirama followed her gaze and stopped at his brother’s abdomen.

“The sword through his stomach nicked his right kidney and damaged his intestines. Only two inches further down, and the sword would have pierced his uterus. In omega males the location isn’t quite the same as for females, you know.” Hashirama unfold his legs and moved closer to his pale brother.

“Where your uterus is about here…”, he pointed at Tobirama’s lower abdomen, “…Tobirama’s uterus is about here.” Hashirama moved his finger up and stopped two inches later. Another two inches up and two to the left Touka could see where the sword must have left Tobirama’s body.

Touka frowned. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because…because Tobira is pregnant, Touka.”

“A close call then. Wait…what?” She snapped her head towards him, eyes wide.

“He is pregnant.”

“Are…Are you sure?”

“Very much so, yes. It was what I felt when I was trying to keep him alive.”

“But, he…I thought…”

“That he couldn’t fall pregnant after what Butsuma had done? Yeah, I thought the same. But here we are now. The fetus is still very small, so the uterus hadn’t expanded very much yet. Would that have been the case, then…the fetus would have been lost.”

“But it’s fine now, right?”

“Tobirama had lost a lot of blood. He has broken ribs. The second stab had pierced his lung and the cut on his throat was deep enough to nick his jugular. The only reason he survived was due to my immediate care for the wound. It’s a miracle that Tobirama’s body didn’t reject the fetus on the spot. Others had miscarried for less reasons.”

“Will be a strong little one.”

“I guess. However, they both aren’t out of danger yet. There is only so much my healing can do.” Hashirama carefully pressed his hand over Tobirama’s abdomen and activated his iryō ninjutsu.

“So far, the healers and I were able to heal most of the wounds, but his right lung won’t be the same as before, though it’d be worse.” Hashirama continued after a minute, moving his hand up to Tobirama’s chest when he was sure everything was fine with the fetus.

“I think you did more than enough. Without you, they’d have died before we even reached the compound. Give you some credit.”

“I know. It’s just…I feel like that all of it is my fault. I’d have noticed that something was wrong with otouto.”

“Don’t blame yourself. You know how he is.”

“Exactly. Too much of Butsuma’s training still lingers, and that includes never showing any weaknesses. Therefore, I’d have made sure otouto is healthy to join the fight, especially so short after coming back from a mission.”

“He isn’t a small child anymore.”

“But he isn’t a full adult either, Touka. He’s only seventeen. I know that I can’t lock him up or determine his entire life, and I don’t want to. But it’s my responsibility as his brother and family alpha to care for him, to make sure that he’s eating, sleeping, healthy enough to go out for missions or joining a fight.  And I failed…again.” Hashirama hung his head, and Touka didn’t know what to say. He was right after all, even if she doesn’t blame him. She, too, failed to see that her younger cousin was unwell.

“Then let us share the blame for it. I’m family, too, and older than you.”

“Touka.”

“Come on, Hashi. Let us not talk about it anymore who is to blame. What happened, happened. Now, we’ve got to concentrate to help him recover and learn from our mistakes.” Touka looked back at Tobirama’s abdomen and stared for a few seconds. “I can’t believe he’s pregnant.”

“It’s basically a miracle. We thought after taking the poison Butsuma forced into him, Tobirama had become barren for sure, especially when he had not gone into another heat cycle since then. Therefore, it’d not be possible, but it seems the healers were either wrong in their diagnostic, or Tobirama’s body managed to heal enough over time that he’d fall pregnant. Tobirama’s pregnancy will be a high risk though, even more so with his injuries.”

“Then I guess, that the next eight or nine months will be hard on him.” She bit her lower lip. “Hashi did you mean it when you said you’d kill the Uchiha?”

“I didn’t say I was going on a killing spree, but it’s clear that the Uchiha are not interested in peace. That guy made it clear enough, and most seemed in agreement with him.”

“They never have been. Still, it didn’t stop you. So why now?” It wasn’t like Touka didn’t know the answer, it was more than obvious why Hashirama changed his mind, but she was aware that this wouldn’t change their situation. Or so she thought.

“I still want peace Touka, don’t misunderstand me, but I’m not willing to sacrifice more of our clan members…my brother…in any fights while I’m trying to convince Madara to agree to a peace treaty.”

“You lost Itama and Kawarama to the Uchiha, but that didn’t stop you.”

“That had been years ago, and…I loved them with all my heart Touka, don’t misunderstand me please. They had been the reason why I even started to dream of a place where children could grow up without fear, but…neither of them had been my last remaining brother either. And I don’t know, but I always felt more protective of Tobirama than anyone else, and that feeling only grew stronger over the years.”

“Understandable. Still, you could have lost Tobirama at any time. Every time he’s leaving for a mission or when we are called to battle, which almost always ends with facing the Uchiha. And that won’t stop in the future.”

“I know that Touka.” Hashirama sighed. “You always called me a naïve idiot, and you were right. Now Tobirama paid the price, twice.”

“Nonsense. Cousin, you may indeed behave like an idiot sometime, and your sudden crying outbursts can be annoying, but nothing is wrong in trying to let your wish come true.”

“But you hate the Uchiha, and most of the clan do as well.”

“That might be true. But I also see what the non-stopping fight is doing to us as well. Many are tired of it. We may be Shinobi, but even we need some rest. Just because I hate the Uchiha, it doesn’t mean I’d be opposed to a ceasefire, or even a peace treaty. Though living with them together in a village might be a bit out of my comfort zone. On the other hand, a village isn’t built overnight, therefore who knows if a few years of just be living in peace with them wouldn’t change my mind, or that of others, maybe even among the Uchiha.”

Touka adjusted to a more comfortable position on the ground. “Not everyone hates the Uchiha, Hashirama. And I’m sure you don’t hate them either, despite what one had done to your brother.”

“Oh, I very much hate that guy.”

“But you didn’t kill him, even if you’d every right to do so. Therefore, I’m sure there is still hope in you for your wish coming true.” Hashirama glanced over at her with a frown.

“It doesn’t matter. I won’t allow them to take my brother and his child. I’ll not risk his safety to continue to pursue my dream. And I won’t ask him to hold back any longer as well.”

“What do you mean?” Touka frowned.

“It means that I’ll free my brother from his imaginary chains I know he put himself on to help me. Or why else do you think Uchiha Izuna is still alive? He’s a great fighter, of course he is, but if Tobirama really wanted, truly wanted, then he’d have killed him. You know how brilliant he is, how strong. I’m sure he already created some jutsus or is working on some that he’d use to trick the Sharingan. And I doubt Izuna ever hold back in any of their fights, hating the Senju as much as you do the Uchiha if not even more. That Tobirama left the battlefield with only some swallow cuts, or in worst case a cracked rib before, says everything about his control and strength, at least if you know that he’s holding back.”

“Damn it, I had no idea.” Touka muttered.

“And it’s the exact reason why I always was so confident that he’d return to me. Yes, sometimes bloodied, and close to chakra exhaustion, but I never doubted he’d leave me behind. But again, it’s just naïve thinking. Not only was he raped, but he almost lost his life as well. As far as I know, he would have been killed a month ago if not another miracle had happened.”

Touka flinched, realizing that her cousin was right. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she decided to keep quiet for a moment and to just get her thoughts in order. Hashirama, as well, seemed to have sunk into his own mind, watching the rising and falling of his brother’s chest.

Several minutes passed until Touka was ready to ask her next question.

“Hashi. Is it an option to take the matter to the Daimyo?”

“No. We can’t. Without any proof I can’t take the matter to the Daimyo. What the Uchiha said might indicate what he has done, but it’d also mean that he just had fun beating my brother almost to death. Rape is a serious accusation. I can’t just go to the Daimyo’s court and accuse an Uchiha of rape without proof or witnesses. They would just laugh at me. The Uchiha are a noble clan, they also hate rapists. No one would believe me.”

“But if we don’t do anything, then they might accuse Tobira of bloodline theft as soon as it comes out that his child is of Uchiha blood.”

“I know that Touka. To our luck the Uchiha can’t bring the matter to court either.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because too much time has passed already. Should it had truly have been the Uchiha who raped my brother, then he seemed not to have told anyone. If the Uchiha find out about the child, it’ll be much too late to twist the entire story to their favor. It’ll be word against word. The clans will wonder why no one reported it sooner. And the last thing both of our clans want is a fighting match in front of the Daimyo.”

“Do you think they suspect something?”

“Oh, I’m sure, Madara knows already. He’s smarter than he looks.”

“Huh.” There was another pause, before Touka asked her next question.

“So, what exactly is the plan now. I mean besides getting Tobira back to health and hopefully keeping his baby alive.”

“I thought about it a little bit, and I decided we’ll ignore the Uchiha from now on, I mean more than we already do. It is as you said. I’m still hoping for peace, and I want to believe that not all Uchiha agree to continue the fighting as well. Furthermore, the winter is close, and we need to focus on ending our preparations.”

“Agreed, but what do you mean with ignoring the Uchiha? What if they breach our border again?”

“I gave them a warning, didn’t I?”

“You mean killing them as soon as they enter our territory?”

“Yes.”

“What if they are just passing when coming back from a mission? You know it happened before.”

“Doesn’t matter. I thought I’d gain some trust with leaving the Uchiha be, not like father who challenged them at any given opportunity. I gave them more leeway when crossing our borders, but what has it actually done? Nothing.”

Touka raised an eyebrow. “And what if it’s just a child or teenager that got lost?”

Hashirama flinched. “Well, there will be a few exceptions.”

“Come on. I know you better. You won’t kill anyone, will you.” She teased him, giving him a knowing smile. Hashirama’s lips twitched, though his expression was still that of a protective alpha.

“No, I won’t. But they’ll wish otherwise.”

“Oh?”

“Let us say, my Dōjutsu works similar as the Sharingan and allows me to put someone into a Genjutsu.”

“Really? What else can you do?”

“Hm. If I’m concentrating, then I can push my mind forward and connect with any plant within my reach. I can see and hear everything around that plant.”

“Wow. That’s a little more than just talking with them. And it’s perfect for spying.”

“Indeed.”

“When did you learn that ability? And why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t have it for long yet, maybe two years, but I haven’t learned to fully control it yet. There are a lot of plants outside as you know.”

“Two years? That’s…wait…does it activated when Butsuma…when you killed that bastard?”

“Yes.” Hashirama didn’t elaborate and Touka didn’t ask, knowing how sensitive the topic was, despite how much Butsuma deserved it.

“So, how exactly will we ignore the Uchiha? What will we do if one of our patrols crosses paths with them?”

“Don’t engage. Retreat. Don’t let them provoke you and vice versa. As long as they don’t step foot on our territory, we’ll just let them be. I’ll plant some more trees around our borders as well, thicken our line of defense.” Hashirama’s face turned more serious. “Even if I don’t plan to kill anyone, I’ll do so should the need arise. I won’t longer play the nice guy from the neighborhood especially should they indeed try to kidnap Tobirama or the child after it’s born.”

“Sounds good. And if we meet them on a battlefield again?”

“Then I won’t hold back any longer either. If they desperately want a fight, then they can have it. Though, I’ll mainly will try to pull up a barrier between us and them first.”

“So, you mean, we’ll try a defense strategy first before going into the offensive?”

“Exactly. I don’t want to risk any more losses if it can be prevented. And I don’t care if someone calls me or our clan cowards.”

Touka snorted. “I think they will realize sooner or later that your choice of acting like a coward is a blessing. And I don’t mind it either when it means we can send more people out to earn money. I know we had to turn down many missions because half of our Shinobi were out due to injuries they were still recovering from.”

“Hm, mhm. Maybe by ignoring the Uchiha as best as we can, we’ll find another kind of peace. And maybe having a child born into the Senju with the Sharingan will let the Uchiha consider if they truly want to continue the endless fight.”

“That’s a big maybe. And…I don’t like to say it, but…our own clan may have a problem with that entire issue of having a child with Uchiha blood in the mainline.” There was a sudden source of angry chakra filling the room, causing Touka to flinch.

“I don’t care one bit what the elders or others may think. I won’t allow them to discriminate against the child or Tobirama. Neither will I allow them to use it as a leverage. For all I care this child is Tobirama’s and therefore my niece or nephew. If anyone has a problem with that, they are free to leave.” Hashirama spat.

“Calm down. You don’t need to threaten me, save it for the elders or who else will complain.”

“Sorry.” Hashirama took a breath and pulled back his chakra. “Still, I meant what I said.”

“I know.” Touka took a washcloth and handed it over to Hashirama. “Take care of him. I’ll inform the clan about what we talked about regarding the Uchiha. I’ll also keep the elders from your back until its safe for you to leave Tobirama’s side.”

“Thank you Touka.”

“What is family for, but you’re welcome. I come back later and bring you some food.” Hashirama nodded and began to wash the sweat from his brother’s face, who still suffered from a mild fever.

Before she left Touka looked over her shoulder a last time, watching Hashirama’s careful movements before settling her eyes on her younger cousin’s face. She wondered how Tobirama would react to his pregnancy.

----

Two days later, Hashirama was reading a paper the Uchiha clan head had sent him, asking him for a ceasefire. He didn’t know if he should cry or laugh.

Chapter Text

Izuna stared at his teacup while Madara prepared a meal. A week had passed since the battle and neither had heard anything from the Senju, less saw one. And Madara was still waiting for Hashirama’s response.

“Madara. I…What will happen now?”

“What do you mean?” Madara asked with a monotone voice, letting Izuna frown.

“I mean the Senju. What if the demon is truly pregnant. Do we really want them to raise one of our own?”

“There is nothing I can do about it Izuna. We don’t know if Haro might be the father. We don’t know if the Senju heir is truly pregnant. And even if he is and Haro is the father, I’m not standing on any ground to demand the child to be handed over to us as soon as it’s born. And I very much doubt that Hashirama will let his brother leave the Senju compound for the next months. I’m not even sure when or if we might see the heir of the Senju clan again.”

“Not if he dies, but if he survives then he’s still obliged to accompany his clan head to the capitol city to renew the vow to the Daimyo.”

“Hashirama has a very good reason to excuse his brother, Izuna. If I'm not mistaken, Tobirama will be six months pregnant. So that’ll mostly lower the chance of him attending. And the Daimyo won’t force a pregnant omega to attend his court. He might even excuse Hashirama.”

“You think so?”

“From what you told us, the Senju clan heir’s injuries alone were severe enough that it might take months for him to recover. Due to that, he’ll probably also be a case of high pregnancy risk.” Izuya jumped in, entering the kitchen with his twin sister, Misaki, in tow.

“High pregnancy risk? You mean he’d lose the babe at any time?”

“Yes. Any further stress on his body could trigger his body to reject the fetus.”

“But isn’t it very likely that he already lost the child then? I mean, he lost a lot of blood, and the stab through his stomach might have killed the fetus before we’d even have any idea it might exist.” Izuna frowned.

“That’s true. But don’t forget Hashirama-sama’s healing abilities. He might have been able to save them both from immediate death.” Misaki explained. “Though it doesn’t mean they’re out of the woods, yet. And even if Tobirama-sama is stable and determined enough to travel to the capitol, there is still the risk of possible attacks.”

“They wouldn’t have to fear an open attack, at least not from the other clans of Hi no Kuni due to non-fighting edict while attending the Daimyo’s court. No one will risk breaking the temporary ceasefire if they want their clan to continue to exist.” Izuna shook his head.

“Which doesn’t mean someone might not try.” Madara cut in. He turned around to look at Izuna. “No open attacks don’t mean you’re save. As Shinobi you should know that.”

Izuna gritted his teeth. “Yes, you’re right, of course. Attacks out of the shadows are an option. Though, I don’t think Shinobis like us, or the Senju would fall for it.”

“And yet, you saw what happened to your rival. Don’t start to underestimate your enemies, or think you are untouchable. Even the best can fall if they start to let their guard down.”

Madara returned to his task of cutting vegetables. Neither said something for several minutes, until Izuna decided to ask another question.

“Do you believe Hashirama killing any Uchiha stepping on Senju territory?”

“Not really.” Madara huffed. “As unlikely it is, but I doubt he’ll kill an Uchiha child that got somehow lost in their territory. But I’m unsure when it comes to an adult. I don’t believe Hashirama to be a murderer out of despise, but who knows what he’ll do to protect his brother. I wouldn’t truly recommend trying it out. He might act like an idiot sometimes, but he’s far from being one.”

There was another short pause, then, “I think the most important question right now is, what to do as damage control, regardless of whether the Senju heir is pregnant or not.”, Izuya stated. “We should be careful that no false rumors are spread. If we accuse the Senju to have tricked one of us, it could backfire quite badly, especially if there is a witness and Tobirama-sama is indeed pregnant.”

“And what will we say? That an Uchiha willingly slept with a Senju and vice versa? No one will believe us.” Izuna scoffed.

“And yet, it would just be a half lie, because Haro very much decided it was a good idea to force himself on an omega from an enemy clan.” Madara sneered.

“Yeah, okay. You have a point. Can’t still believe the demon is just an omega.” Izuna muttered under his breath, causing the others to freeze.

“I’m also an omega, nii-san.” Misaki whispered. “Am I also just an omega for you?” Izuna reared back.

“Shit. No, of course not, it’s just…are there no laws that a clan can claim a child from an unmated omega if they are from another clan?” Izuna was quick to put the conversation into another direction.

“There are, but those laws only apply if the unmated omega is unfit to care for the child, or the safety of the child is not given. However, if the act of conceiving the child did not happen with consent, then the omega, or the alpha of the omega, which would be the family alpha if the omega is unmated, can refuse to hand the child over. To be short, the rapist and their family or clan have no say in any matter. It’s just one more reason why most clans wouldn’t take such risk.”

“So, that means we can just watch how a child with our blood and most wanted Dōjutsu is raised by another clan and taught to hate us?”

“Yes Izuna, that’s exactly what it means. At least when the victim is an omega from another clan, it’s proven that they haven’t tricked the alpha. What exactly applies to our case. Otherwise, believe me, I wouldn’t hesitate to fight to get one of our children back, whether it’s born yet or not. But I can’t, because firstly I know the truth and secondly Hashirama will raise hell himself if I try anything. So, again, yes Izuna, we can just watch and see if there will be a Senju child running around with the Sharingan. Otherwise, we might end on the list of clans that will be known as rapists and bloodline thieves, which might give the Daimyo the idea to either remove our title of a noble clan or get rid of us entirely.”

Another pause. “I see. So, that means if they decide not to want to keep the child, they could get rid of it as well? Before it’s even born?”

“Yes.”

“But…”

“There is no but Izuna. Imagine it was one of our clan members, imagine it’s Misaki. Do you would force them to carry a child from an enemy clan if they don’t want to?”

“No, but…damn it. We are speaking about an Uchiha child. It’s innocent.” Madara turned with a frown, staring at his brother, while the twins watched in silence.

“The Uchiha would also carry an Uchiha child. Where is the difference?”

Izuna opened his mouth, only to close it again, biting on his tongue. Madara turned back and finished the dishes. Then he joined his brothers and sister at the table.

Madara finished his meal first and watched his siblings, who were almost done as well. He decided to tell them what he had done without anyone’s knowledge, well except for two elders he knew he’d trust and weren’t against the idea of peace with the Senju. “You asked what we’d do as damage control.”

His siblings looked up from their meal with a questioning look. “Well, you probably won’t like it, but I sent a letter to Hashirama and asked him for a ceasefire.”

“You did what?” Izuna spit and jumped from his seat, snarling. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m very serious. You, on the other hand, still don’t seem to see how serious the situation truly is.” Madara looked at Izuna with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re kidding. I know very well in which predicament we are, but there is no reason to crawl to the Senju and beg for peace.” Madara stiffened, and his expression turned to something dark. The twins looked at each other before standing and slowly backing away from their older brothers.

“You have no idea. Did you even hear anything I said at the meeting? Why are you so obsessed to be enemies with the Senju? Why are you so stubborn not to see how much our clan is suffering from all the battles we are fighting. Why are you so against peace? What is it, Izuna, that disturbs you so much about the idea of being at peace with the Senju? And don’t answer it with we can’t trust them. The Senju clan has no reason to trust us any more than we trust them. They lost as much as we did, they are suffering as much as we do, or at least they did with Butsuma as clan head, they are Shinobis like us. You call Tobirama a demon, because he killed members of our clan, and yet you killed at least as many Senju as he killed Uchiha. So, what exactly is your damn problem?”

“We can’t trust them. They will betray you the moment you turn your back on them.”

Madara scoffed. “Same answer as ever. But you know what. I don’t care. I’ll go with my instinct. And my instinct tells me this is the right thing to do. In the past week I have more reason to trust the Senju than to trust members of my own clan. Haro is the best proof of it.” Izuna’s eyes widen at this revelation.

“You trust the enemy more than your own clan?”

“I trust Hashirama. And I start to believe I can trust his brother. Senju Tobirama saved one of our children, while one of our own raped him.”

“You can’t be sure it was him who saved Kagami.”

“So, you don’t trust me. You don’t trust that I’d be able to see the differences between people, the differences in their clothes, their movements? I have seen it, Izuna. And I very much trust my Sharingan.”

“And yet you told the elders, that you aren’t sure.”

“Because I don’t trust them to believe me. And there lays the entire problem, Izuna. My own clan has no trust in me, even my own brother. You all want to have proof. So, I’ll give you proof. A ceasefire doesn’t mean we are at peace with the Senju. But maybe, it’ll prove that peace is a possibility.”

“We did that before and it never lasted.” Izuna shook his head.

“And? It doesn’t mean anything. The last attempt at a ceasefire had been over one hundred years ago. Maybe it’s time for another attempt. Hashirama wants peace, we both want it. I wouldn’t have considered it with Butsuma still being clan head, but he’s gone. And for two years, since Hashirama is clan head, he proved again and again that he’s serious about wanting peace. Read the reports. Everything I said in the meeting is true. We have less casualties. We are in less battles. And because of that we suffered less in the last two winters. But it’s not enough, because we still end in fights with the Senju, may it because both our clans are hired on opposite sides of two countries to fight their war or because our patrols are getting into a fight with Senju patrols.”

“It’s true, Izuna.” Izuna snapped around to look at their father who had just entered the kitchen, both Misaki and Izuya standing behind him, casting worried looks at their older brothers.

“But you hate the Senju.”

“I hated Butsuma, not the Senju as a whole. Did you ever take a closer look at them? Haven’t you noticed the change since Hashirama took over? His clan is less hostile. They look less wary of anything that moves. I have no doubt that there are Senju who don’t want that peace any more than you do, but I bet the majority of them want it, that they are equally tired of it as we are. Why do you think I retired from my position as a clan head as soon as I heard Butsuma is dead? It wasn’t alone because I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance against Hashirama, but because I wanted the new generation, you, to be the ones that achieve what we, the older generation, and our predecessors couldn’t achieve.” Both Izuna and Madara were staring at their father, mouth wide open. Tajima just scoffed at the display.

“Why haven’t you said anything? I thought you were one of the elder that hated the idea of peace with the Senju.” Madara pointed an accusing finger at his father.

“I never was. Do you think I liked watching you two fighting on a battlefield? Do you think it is fun to stay in the compound and to wait, not knowing if or when you return? It is as you said, Madara, just that I have two sons I fear to lose whenever you go to battle, not just a brother. And I already lost too much to this endless war.”

“They killed Takahashi and Takeru.” Izuna yelled.

“And we killed Kawarama and Itama, the younger brothers of Hashirama and Tobirama. Stop using our losses as an excuse for not wanting peace. You should more focus of what to do to not lose the rest of your family.” Tajima replied, not raising his voice at his son’s temper.

“But…I can’t believe you. All the years I thought you hated the Senju. And now you say to forgive them and just forget what they have done?” Izuna snarled.

“I didn’t say you have to forget or to forgive. You don’t even have to trust them. Trust your brother instead. Stop the hate controlling you. Stop being one of those who prefer to sacrifice more of our people instead of keeping them safe. Stop thinking that the dead deserve vengeance. Instead, honor them. Honor what they did to support and to keep the clan safe.”

“I…I need to think.” Without looking at anyone Izuna left the kitchen and went straight to his room, where he locked himself away. Tajima watched his son leaving before turning back to Madara with a sigh.

“I’m sorry Madara. For not being honest with you. But I thought it important to let you make your own decisions, to let you learn and see for yourself what it means to be a clan head. And I’m sorry to not have supported you more, to let you know that I have nothing against peace with the Senju.”

Madara sighed. “Well, I can’t truly understand why you haven’t said anything. But, even if you had, it wouldn’t have changed anything. Most elders refuse the idea of peace, and with them most of the clan does or did it as well. And at the moment, the only thing I regret is not to have said anything much earlier. But that either, wouldn’t have been enough to convince them. It is like I already said. The Uchiha need to see it for themselves to believe it. And that includes me. I wouldn’t have believed the Senju, if they had claimed Haro having raped one of them, especially not Tobirama. If Haro had come to me and claimed to have been the victim, I’d have believed him without looking into his memories. But now? Now, I can’t even trust my own clan. I’ve no clue what to do if the Senju heir is pregnant with an Uchiha child, except to try for a ceasefire. I have no idea if Hashirama will accept my offer. And I don't even know if my own clan is ready for it, although it seems like they are opening up to the idea.”

Madara closed his eyes for a second and leaned his head back. “It is frustrating to think that this entire mess is needed for our clan to even start considering that peace between us and the Senju might be more profitable as to continue the fight. And now that they might be ready, it’d be that Hashirama will decline my offer. And I can’t even blame him if he does. I mean, I refused him every time he asked me, and now after we almost killed his brother, and the possibility of an Uchiha child being carried by a Senju, I suddenly offer it myself. It’s disgusting. I’m disgusted with myself.” Madara covered his face with one hand, trying not to lose his composure.

Tajima looked at his son with sadness, regretting not having done more to help him. “The ceasefire was a good idea, don’t doubt that. Most clan members want the war to end as much as you do, even if they might deny it. And if Hashirama truly wants peace, then he’ll accept. It doesn’t mean we are at peace, but it’ll give both our clans time to see if peace can be achieved. Only time will tell. For now, focus on finishing the preparation for the winter. That’s all you can do.” Madara nodded and started to gather the dishes.

The twins were quick to help. After a few minutes, Madara startled when he heard Misaki whispering, “I think I wouldn’t want to keep a child that was forced on me.”

Before he’d say anything to that, a knock at the front door sounded through the hall and to the kitchen.

“Come in.” Madara called, frowning when he felt the nervous chakra from Hikaku. He finished cleaning the last dish and gave Misaki’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze as he was passing her to meet his cousin.

“Madara-sama. Please apologize, but one of our patrols reported that something was happening at the Senju border.”

----

“What’s happening?” Izuna asked, standing next to Madara and Hikaku and watching the forest on the other side of the Naka River. Izuna had heard Hikaku and despite being still upset with his brother and father, he still accompanied Madara to the border.

“It looks like there are more trees than before.” Hikaku observed. “And it’s not only here, but other patrols also reported that along the Senju border the forest seems to have become denser.”

“Does it mean they prepare for an attack?”

“I don’t think so.” Madara stared intensely into the forest on the other side, Mangekyō Sharingan active, having spotted the lone figure slowly moving forward.

“Hashirama.” Madara breathed. The man didn’t smile as he stepped out of the forest, nor did he behave like any other times when seeing his old friend.

“Uchiha.” Madara almost flinched at the emotionless tone. That wasn’t the Hashirama he knew, that wasn’t the idiot of clan head that would pester Madara with their childhood dream of a village.

“Hash…Senju-sama. Care to explain what you are doing?” Madara asked, carefully.

“Isn’t that obviously? I make sure that my family and clan will be safe from unwanted visitors.” Madara’s brow twitched.

“By planting trees?” Izuna scoffed, though Hashirama ignored the snide comment and didn’t take his eyes from Madara, who threw a warning look at his brother.

“As I said, it’s just a precaution. My brother is very vulnerable at the moment as you can guess. I wouldn’t want to risk someone thinking they could use it as a perfect opportunity to attack us.”

Madara frowned. “Didn’t you receive my letter?”

Hashirama smiled, though it wasn’t his usual smile full of joy. It was sharp and didn’t reach his eyes. “I did. And I find it funny. The Uchiha repeatedly rejected my offer of a peace treaty, have made it clear that they have no interest in ever agreeing to stop the endless cycle of death. But then, only two days after they declared it impossible for our clans to be friends, I receive a letter with the request of a ceasefire.” Hashirama’s fake smile vanished and was replaced by a very displeasing expression. “It was like a slap into the face.” Madara flinched.

“And look at that. It seems most of you are even unaware that such offer had been made.”

Madara stiffened, and looked at the faces of his clan members, who equally wore shocked faces.

“Uchiha-sama. How should I interpret that?” Madara returned his gaze to Hashirama, who looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“The offer is sincere, Senju-sama. I swear it as clan head.”

“I bet it is.” Hashirama scoffed. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. I’d be a hypocrite not to accept your offer of a ceasefire.” Madara almost sighed in relief before he heard Hashirama saying, “However, given the circumstances my warning stands. Any Uchiha stepping on Senju land will face serious consequences, that also includes the possibility of being killed.”

“I…”

“I told you we can’t trust them.” Izuna growled, cutting off whatever Madara wanted to say, and causing Hashirama to laugh.

“You can’t trust us? What have you ever done to let me trust you. And still, it didn’t stop me from offering your clan head the possibility to end the unnecessary blood feud. I’m tired of sacrificing more members of my clan and watch families grieving for the loss of loved siblings, parents, or children.”

“Tsk. We’re Shinobi, Shinobi die young, may it be on a battlefield or mission.” Izuna exclaimed.

“That might be true, but I’m no longer willing to lead them on a battlefield that’s unnecessary. The only fights the Senju will participate in will be those of allies needing support in defending themselves against outside forces, or if they are on a mission. I ordered my patrols to ignore any Uchiha they may encounter, even if they step food on our territory.”

“Huh? So, you have no problem with us trespassing? Sounds unwise.”

“I think I just said the opposite. Are you even listening? Maybe I need to be more precise? Stay away from Senju territory or face the consequences. No Uchiha is allowed to trespass. I’ll know if you do.” Hashirama spread his arms, causing the trees behind him to rattle and to swing from side to side.

The effect did not miss its target, because the Uchiha slightly turned pale, remembering what Madara had said during the meeting about Hashirama’s ability to kill at least half of them in an instant if he wanted.

“I’ll personally will see to it to take care of any trespassers. It’s your decision to head my warning or not. But don’t blame the Senju for not taking the warning seriously.”

“And what about the ceasefire? If you kill an Uchiha then it’ll be null and void.”

“That’s only, if you refuse to accept it to be part of the ceasefire.”

“You…”

“Enough, Izuna.” Madara growled and grabbed Izuna’s neck to give him a warning. Then he turned back to Hashirama.

“Send me a letter with your conditions of accepting the ceasefire. So far, I see no issue, but as you can see, I’ll have to discuss it with my clan. And please accept my apology for my heir’s rudeness. He’s out of line.”

“I accept. And just to be clear. It won’t be a one-sided condition. We Senju will stay away from your land as well. Should one of my own steps on your land, then you have every right to do what you seem fit for a punishment. The only exception I’ll ask for is when children are being involved. We have no interest in harming children, and I hope that’s the same for you.”

“Of course.”

“Another problem will be missions, because we might be forced to fight each other in the attempt to do our job we were hired for. I’ll try to avoid accepting missions that involves the Uchiha directly.”

“You mean like assassination?” Madara asked.

“We never accepted missions to eliminate one of yours, at least not since I am clan head. What would be the purpose of asking you for peace when at the same time I send someone after an Uchiha? None, of course. That includes also kidnapping. We are no bloodline thieves.”

“Of course not. And I’m not blaming you for the actions of your father.”

Hashirama narrowed his eyes. “Neither do I. And I won’t ask for your father’s head in the future, just to be clear, though we might not forgive him for sending child hunters…”

“You killed our older brothers. You almost killed Izuya and Misaki.” Izuna yelled, still in Madara’s hold, who increased the pressure on his brother’s neck.

“I did nothing of the sort. And as far as I’m aware, your oldest brother was killed by bloodline thieves and the second oldest died on the battlefield before I even entered it. So, be mindful of your wording. And for the twins. You can thank Tobirama for them being still alive.”

“What?” Madara and Hikaku spoke in unison, while almost every Uchiha gaped at the blunt statement, even Izuna froze.

Hashirama clicked his tongue. “It was after Kawarama died. You know, my second youngest brother. He was seven when father decided to put him on a battlefield. He was killed by an Uchiha, or so it was reported. Father wanted revenge. Therefore, he sent an assassin to the Uchiha. Tobirama was just eight when he eavesdropped father giving the order. He followed the assassin to the Uchiha compound and was just in time to stop him. The ruckus alerted the Uchiha, however, and the assassin was caught.”

“He told us Butsuma giving the order, but he never mentioned Tobirama stopping him.” Hikaku said.

“Because he didn’t know. Tobirama learned from a very young age to hide his chakra signature.”

“You mean, he was trained to be a master assassin.”

“That and other reasons. Therefore, he knew how to hide his presence. Unfortunately, he wasn’t fast enough yet to reach the assassin before they entered the Uchiha compound. When he returned, he told me about it. I ask him why he did it. And you know what his answer was? He said, ‘To protect Itama. If we let father kill the children of the Uchiha clan head, then Tajima-sama will also want revenge. We already lost Kawarama, I can’t lose Itama, or you.’ And we thought it worked. Butsuma was of course enraged when he heard Tajima’s youngest were still alive, but he couldn’t send another assassin, because you were more alert and strengthened your guards. Still, it was not enough to protect Itama, because a few years later he was hunted down by one of your child hunters’ squads and brutally killed. You might remember the day it happened Madara. Because it was the day, I told you to have lost yet another brother to the war.”

“I…Why did you never tell me? If I had known…”

“Would you have believed me? We’re speaking about Tobirama. A demon, as your clan likes to call him.”

Madara opened his mouth, but no word left his mouth.

“Exactly, what I thought.”

“And you expect us to believe you now?” Izuna spat. Madara face-palmed while Hashirama just looked at Izuna like he was dumb. Even Hikaku and Sango looked at Izuna like he lost a few brain cells in the last hour.

Very slowly Hashirama replied, “I never told you because I knew you would never believe me. Therefore, no, I don’t expect you to believe me now. And I’m not even sure why I told you in the first place. After all, you repeated several times that you won’t believe or trust a Senju ever, as it’s your right.”

Hashirama shook his head, “And I won’t try any longer to change your mind. Do what you want. After all, I can hardly order you, right. But, if you want the ceasefire to work…”, Hashirama turned his eyes back to Madara, “…Madara, then you better have a better control over your heir, brother or not.”

“And what about your own brother? Will you control him, too?” Madara wanted to hit Izuna.

“There is no need to control him. Tobirama perfectly knows when to speak or when to keep his mouth shut. Butsuma made very much sure of it.” For a second, Hashirama’s eyes turned alpha red and Madara tried very hard not to fall on his knees like his fellow clan members at the sudden pressure weighing them down.

As fast as the pressure hit it also disappeared, and Hashirama looked almost shocked at his own display of power. “My apology. That wasn’t my intention.”

“It seems we better not ask for you to elaborate.”

“No, better not. It’s not your business anyway. And Butsuma is gone. So, there isn’t any need for you to worry.”

“Agreed.”

“I think we are done here. I’ll send you a letter as soon as Tobirama is awake.”

“So, he’s still alive? How is he?” Madara wanted to hit himself. His mouth sometimes was faster than his brain ordering it to stay close. “You don’t have to answer. I…I’m just curious. It hadn’t looked like he’d make it.” Madara bit his tongue, hard.

Hashirama titled his head and watched Madara closely. “You truly want to know?”

“If it isn’t a bother, yes. I’m truly sorry what happened.”

Hashirama snorted. “Why would you be sorry. We are enemies. Something like this was supposed to happen. And I bet you wouldn’t be so forgiving when it’d have been Izuna instead of Tobirama. Or is it because you finally realized it’d have been your brother lying on the ground and bleeding out? Or maybe your offer of a ceasefire is based on an entirely different reason.”

There was a pause, both clan heads staring at each other, until Madara decided to be sincere. “The day after the battle, I gathered my clan members to inform them about what happened, about your warning, and…to discuss an incident that happened a little over a month ago.”

“Madara.” Hikaku whispered, a little unsure, but his clan head ignored him.

“It had been discovered that your brother was also involved.” A snarl formed in Hashirama’s face, but Madara didn’t stop.

“That day one of our children had been kidnapped by bloodline thieves. I was faster than my clan members, and when I arrived at the position, where I felt the child’s chakra, it was hold in the arms of a lone figure, who I guess was your brother.”

Hashirama’s expression turned blank. “And how did you come to this conclusion exactly?”

“I hadn’t known at first. There were no signs of any clan affiliation and before I’d ask anything, the figure disappeared in a puff of smoke.” Hashirama titled his head, though his expression didn’t give away anything.

“It was a clone. A very good one. I never saw a clone as good as this one. It felt completely like it’d be a normal person, well, maybe it felt a little off, but I assumed it was because of the blood covering its side. It was only when it was gone that I realized what it was.” Madara observed Hashirama closely, but still received no reaction.

“I had no clue who it was though. We found the bloody corpses of the bloodline thieves several miles away, but we found nothing that could tell us who the rescuer had been. So, we returned home. I tried to find the person, but after a few days I gave up.”

Madara took a deep breath, coming to the hard part. “I know you’re smarter than most believe, and I’m sure you already guess what is coming. And I want you to know that I truly had no idea, neither of us had. It was only because of what my fellow clan member had said on the battlefield, that I realized he kept something from me. So, I asked him. Hashirama, what he did…it’s disgusting. It goes against everything the Uchiha stand for. We teach our alphas and omegas to control themselves as soon as they present, which I’m sure your clan is doing as well. This shouldn’t have happened.”

“Indeed not.” Hashirama whispered loudly. Then he started laughing, though it sounded humorless. “You know, for a clan priding themselves to be very protective of their Dōjutsu, you seem very careless.” One of Madara’s eyes twitched, but he knew Hashirama was right, so he didn’t give any retort.

“See? I told you they planned it.” Madara closed his eyes at hearing Haro’s voice coming from behind him, wondering when he arrived and why he hadn’t noticed him. The man shouldn’t be here but be locked away in his house. “The demon forced me into my rut and took advantage.”

An eerie silence settled on the other side of the river and Madara snapped his eyes open. In front of them wasn’t longer standing the clan head of the Senju, but the ‘God of Shinobi’ in his true form, the one being that could wipe out entire clans, including the Uchiha. Out of reflex he activated his own Sharingan again, even if Hashirama’s dark green eyes weren’t locked on him.

Several gasped were heard and out of the corner of his eyes, Madara noticed several Uchiha taking a step back. ‘Good, I already warned them, but maybe now they understand.’, Madara thought, having also noticed the slight tremble in Izuna’s clenched fists.

“Planned. You truly put blame on my brother? Do you think I am a fool? I have seen his condition when he came home, poisoned, bloodied and with tattered clothes. He didn’t even remember what happened that night.”

“S-so how w-would you know he didn’t. M-maybe he just l-lied to you.” Haro stuttered. Hashirama’s eyes narrowed.

“Because it’s simply impossible. Firstly, we are no clan of rapists.” He spat, receiving several flinches. “Secondly, even if we were, my brother wouldn’t be the one I’d send after an Uchiha, not with what our own father had done to him.” Now it was on Madara to frown.

“What do you mean?” Hashirama’s eyes snapped at him, and Madara tried hard not to flinch away.

“That’s none of your business. And it’s not like you would believe me or care anyway. Right, Izuna?” For a brief second his eyes flickered over to the younger Uchiha before turning back to Madara. Deciding not to push the topic, he tried another approach.

“Senju-sama. I must apologize again. This man shouldn’t be here in the first place. I don’t know what had overcome that idiot over there, because we already know that your brother isn’t at fault. I personally reviewed his memories. There is no doubt that your heir is the victim, and I can only apologize. I’m ashamed that a member of my clan steeped so low and got himself carried away. Be assured that this won’t happen again, and that he’ll be punished for it.” Madara slightly bowed and hoped Haro hasn’t blown up the chance of Hashirama accepting the ceasefire.

“Oh, I’m very sure it won’t happen again, because if it does, then I make myself sure that it doesn’t happen again, one way or another.” Madara chocked, because there was something in Hashirama’s voice that indicated that he didn’t mean to just kill the person. He was sure Izuna and Hikaku got the meaning as well.

“Madara.” Hearing his name, Madara straightened his back again, and looked at his fellow clan head. “You better keep this man away from my brother. I won’t guarantee anything otherwise. Peace be damned. I don’t care. A crime like this will not be overlooked, even if I can’t go to the Daimyo, because we both know it’d be word against word. That you just confirmed what I already assumed, doesn’t matter. I may even consider not to inform the other clans, but one false word, Madara, one rumor about my brother being a rapist and bloodline thief, and I’ll destroy you.”

Madara gulped but was quick to nod in agreement. “No rumors. Should there be any, I’ll personally clear it up.”

“For both our clans’ sake, there shouldn’t be any at all.”

“And what if your brother carries one of our own.” Izuna asked, and Madara immediately regretted having let go of him.

“What do you mean with carrying one of your own. Any child my brother is carrying is his and will be born as a Senju as long as Tobirama bears the name.” Hashirama took a deep breath to stop himself from saying anything further.

“Hashirama. I’m sorry for what happened, truly. I promise…”

“No promises, Madara. Everything that needed to be said had been said. I realize now why you never accepted my offer before. And I’d have expected it. Our clans have a long history and without a clan behind your decision, or at least the majority of it, it’d have been pointless. However, I trust that you haven’t made the offer just because of the possibility or fear that one day you might face a child or teenager with your own clan’s dōjutsu in their eyes, or just because you found out that Tobirama saved one of your clan children. I wouldn’t want that people believe you did it just because you feel obliged to pay a debt.”

“Hashi…”

“Good day, Uchiha-sama. I have other business to attend. Next time, we’ll see us in the capital city next year.”

“Hey…”

“Izuna. Stop it.” Madara hissed. Hashirama didn’t turn his back on them when retreating into the forest behind him, dark green eyes never leaving them. Then he was just gone.

----

“That was unsettling.” Hikaku moved his stiffen shoulders to relax them, having been tense the entire time.

“Yes, but though he said we have no business to know anything, he still revealed that his brother is alive and most likely pregnant.”

“Indeed. And he’ll fight tooth and nails to protect Tobirama-sama against anyone who tries to take him away. His protective instincts are even stronger than yours, even so much that it is scary.”

“You’re right. I never saw him like this before.”

“Do you think it might have something to do with Butsuma? He indicated that something must have happened. What do you think Butsuma had done to his second son?”

“No clue, and I don’t care.” Izuna snarled frustrated. Madara clenched his hands, very much trying not to strangle his brother.

“Madara?” Hikaku called, worried.

“Let’s get back to our compound. It’s time for another clan meeting. Even if nothing has been signed yet, we’ll pretend it’s like that.” Madara stared at his brother, who avoided his gaze, then ordered, “Setsuna, please see Haro to one of our cells.”

“What? Why?” Haro yelled.

“Why? Firstly, because you left your house and the compound without any permission. Secondly, for telling lies to the Senju clan head, just after I already told him that we knew what happened a month ago. Thirdly, because you deserve an appropriate punishment for your crime, which I’ll discuss with the elders. Your father being excluded, of course.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Hikaku. Did I miss something the past week or even months? I have the feeling people are forgetting that I.AM.CLAN.HEAD.” Madara growled and emphasized each of the last words.

“It seems we have to use the winter months to remind people of the fact.” Sango replied instead, arms crossed with a snarl on her face.

“Mada…”

“Keep your mouth shut, Izuna. You aren’t any better. I know you despise the Senju, but at least for once you’d think before you speak. Haven’t you felt it? Hashirama was so close of losing his patience.” Madara held a hand with two fingers almost pressed at each other in front of Izuna’s face. “I’d feel the vines moving underneath the ground. Do you have a death wish like Haro?”

“What? No. However…”

“Grow up, Izuna. You are no longer a twelve-year old child. You can’t demand answers from someone like Hashirama, who is a clan head, especially a clan head of an enemy clan. So, behave like the heir you are, or I have to consider giving the title to someone else.”

“Then do it. It’s not like I ever wanted it in the first place.” Izuna spat.

Madara stared Izuna down. “You know what. Until further notice, I will depose you from the position of clan heir and hand it over to Hikaku. I don’t care much if you speak with the elders like that, but Hashirama is the head of his own clan. It doesn’t matter if he’s an enemy or not, you as heir have no right to speak with him until I give you permission. Should you change your mind, then feel free to come to me after you know how an heir is meant to behave outside of the clan compound.”

Izuna turned bright red, but for once kept his mouth shut, though he stormed away with a snarl on his face.

“That brat.” Madara muttered.

“He’s nineteen. Still a teenager, really. So, don’t be too harsh on him.” Hikaku stated. “And, uh, was it really necessary to make me the clan heir? I don’t want this position either. And I have no idea what the position exactly entails.”

“Tsk. In a few months he will turn twenty and become a full adult, so he'd stop behaving like a teenager. Additionally, you behave more like an heir than Izuna does. And it’s not like you wouldn’t already do a part of the job description. So don’t worry about it. And what I need at the moment, is someone who actually trusts me and is open to the idea of a ceasefire and possible peace treaty later, not a spoiled brat who isn’t able to control himself.”

“I agree with Madara. That boy needs to grow up. I can understand that he’s angry, we all lost or almost lost someone to the Senju. But if we truly intend to end the war then we must move forward and bury our grudges.” Sango cut in. “And from what Hashirama-sama told us, we owe Tobirama-sama even more than we thought, because he didn’t just saved Kagami, but also the twins.”

“And alone for that I have no idea how to ever repay him. Kami, I feel like I have fought for days. I need a bath before I can even think how to tell father and the twins, in case Izuna hadn’t already done it, or one of the others.” Madara sighed exhausted. “Let us return.” After a last glance into the forest where Hashirama had disappeared, Madara and the others started their way back home.

Chapter Text

Cold. That was the first thing his consciousness noticed as it slowly emerged from the darkness. Then the pain followed, not strong, but dulled to an uncomfortable prickle under his skin.

He didn’t try to move, nor did he flinch due to the cold feeling and pain. Years of training stopped him from showing any signs of wakefulness while his mind was still rebooting. For all he knew he’d be in the hands of an enemy that is just waiting for him to wake up. And in that case, he needed each and any advantage he’d get by letting them think he was still unconscious.

So, while his mind tried to remember what happened, he inwardly let his senses spread through his body to find out what his current condition was. And the first thing he noticed was the steady flow of his chakra, which meant his chakra wasn’t blocked by seals or otherwise suppressed, which was promising.

He followed the chakra pathway through his body, which allowed him to notice where the pain came from, stomach, chest, and throat. Noting that down, he continued his examination and noticed that he also had two broken ribs but couldn’t find anything else that indicated any further injuries.

Just as he wanted to stop and turn his senses outward, something else caught his attention, a slight flicker in his chakra that he hadn’t noticed before. Examining the anomaly, he realized that it wasn’t his own chakra signature, but that of something else that seemed connected to his chakra pathway. He followed it with caution until he found the culprit. There was a tiny chakra residing inside his body, and it took him several minutes to realize what it meant.

‘Impossible’, was his first thought. Again and again, he let his senses roam through his body but each time his senses led him back to the same place where the tiny chakra signature resided, and that was none other than where his womb was located. ‘How?’

That question forced his memories back into his mind, and suddenly he remembered the battle. How an Uchiha he didn’t know stabbed him from behind, through his stomach and chest. How he mentioned an encounter a month ago, and how much fun they had, that Tobirama seemed to not have fought him.

He remembered his attempt to escape the Uchiha when he realized what the man had said, how he remembered the mission in that moment, and how it ended with him staring into a face with Sharingan eyes and a malicious grin, before his own world went dark.

‘No, no. He couldn’t really have meant…but how else…oh kami…he…raped me…he…no, no…this is a catastrophe…I can’t…this means he is…but it’d be impossible…’

Tobirama didn’t notice how his body started to tremble due to his increasing panic. He didn’t even notice opening his eyes and forcing his body into an upright position with a hand on his abdomen while starting to fight for breath. He stared and stared and stared, but nothing made sense.

----

Hashirama was dozing next to his brother when Tobirama’s body snapped into wakefulness.

One moment he was still lying on his bed, quietly and softly breathing, and the next he was sitting upright, heavily breathing and staring at his hand on his bandaged abdomen.

There was no explanation needed for Hashirama to understand what was going on. In a heartbeat he was at his brother’s side with one of his own hands covering that of his brother’s.

“Otouto. You’re safe. Take some deep breathes.” He didn’t receive an immediate answer, but at some point Tobirama’s eyes met his own, showing signs of shock and a deep vulnerability.

“An-Anija?” Tobirama rasped before flinching at the sudden stink in his throat.

“Here. Drink some water.” Hashirama hold a cup of water at Tobirama’s dry lips, who after the first sip, moved his hands up to the cup as an attempt to put the cup closer to his mouth and to swallow more as would be good for him. Hashirama didn’t let him though and slightly removed the cup before moving it closer again. “Slowly, Otouto. I know you must be thirsty, but you need to be careful. That’s it.”

After several more careful sips, Hashirama removed the cup and put it at the side of the bed, before he turned back to his brother, who again stared at his stomach.

“Otouto?”

“I…” Again, Tobirama flinched and put a hand against his bandaged throat. Hashirama saw it and was quick to reassure his brother.

“Don’t worry. Your throat is just sore. There was no damage to your vocal cords when…when you were cut.”

“I…see.” Tobirama let his hand fall, the entire time having not moved his eyes from the hand on his stomach. Hashirama noticed that he hadn’t moved his hand away even if Tobirama had pulled his own hands away when he tried to take the cup.

“Otouto. I…” Hashirama begun but was interrupted by Tobirama.

“Am I…pregnant?” Hashirama searched his brother’s gaze and saw disbelief, shock, confusion, and maybe something like…hope? Hashirama almost choked in relief because he had feared he might find something like disgust. Well, that might still come later.

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Uhm. You mean ‘how’ in “How can I be pregnant after what Butsuma had done to me?”, that how?” Hashirama asked unsure, biting on his lower lip. Tobirama nodded. “We aren’t sure. But the most plausible response would be that the poison did not destroy your organs as we thought it did, but simply reduced your chance of falling easily pregnant by decreasing your fertility.”

“But…my heat?”

“The healer run a few tests. Remember those times when you said you were feeling a little warmer than usual, but you blamed it on either the weather or the high temperature in an overly heated room?” Tobirama nodded with a frown. “Well, it seems at those times you suffered from a minor heat. They only last something between one to five hours and well you don’t experience the strong pulse to…you know…to seek out an alpha for release, or…whatever else omegas experience during their heats.”

“So, that means, I…I was in heat when…when I conceived?”

“Probably. And the alpha was also probably in…in rut. Otherwise…otherwise you wouldn’t be pregnant.”

“He…raped me.” Tears were forming in Hashirama’s eyes, though Tobirama’s stayed dry.

“Oh, kami, Tobira. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you. I’m sorry I didn’t notice that you weren’t feeling well before we were going into battle. I’m sorry I haven’t noticed that something like this has been done to you. I’m a terrible big brother.”

“No, you aren’t. I don’t blame you. It’s my own fault.”

“No. No, Otouto. If you don’t blame me, then don’t blame yourself either. You were poisoned and suffered from blood loss. And I know you did everything to come back home to me.”

“I’d be dead. I don’t know…how I escaped.”

“We don’t know either, but…does it matter? You survived. You survived both encounters with that Uchiha.”

“Thanks to you.” Hashirama shook his head.

“I just helped to close your wounds. It was your will that kept you here. Both of you.”

Silence settled between them in which Hashirama observed his brother closely, who seemed to be focused on something, or someone.

“Otouto?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Yes.”

“With an Uchiha child.”

“With a Senju child.” Hashirama corrected it immediately. “It’s your baby. I won’t let anyone take it from you, except…except you don’t want it?” Hashirama asked uncertainty, and a little worried.

“Can I…can I think about it?” Tobirama asked quietly.

“Of course, Otouto, it’s your body and therefore your decision. But let me explain a few things first? I know you like to have the full picture before making any decision. So, will you listen?” Tobirama nodded. “Okay, let me check your wounds in the meanwhile as well, okay?” Another nod was his answer and Hashirama began to remove the bandages while explaining each wound to his brother.

He started with the injury on Tobirama’s throat, said that there would only be a scar left where the sword nicked the jugular. Then followed the wounds he received from the second stab that also pierced his right lung. “The healers were forced to remove a small portion due to the damage, so you’ll probably experience a loss of stamina. It’s hard to tell if it’ll keep you off the battlefield or prevent you from going on missions.”

Then he removed the last of the bandages around Tobirama’s stomach and lower abdomen. “You have two broken ribs, I guess it was from the kick you received from Izuna.”

“Yes.” Tobirama agreed.

“The first stab nicked your kidney and got through your intestines. Just a little bit further down and it’d also have…injured your uterus. That would have…”, Hashirama had to swallow, “…killed the fetus in an instant.”

He activated his iryō ninjutsu and ran his hands down Tobirama's back to his neck, repeating the movement several times before gently coaxing Tobirama to lie down, who winced at the pain the movement caused. Then he repeated the motion on Tobirama’s front, who had closed his eyes after a minute of lying down again but without falling asleep. He followed his brother’s chakra with his senses, and only opened his eyes again when Hashirama concentrated on the little spot where the child was growing.

They met eyes and both knew that Tobirama didn’t truly need to think about what he wanted to do. Despite what others may think, Tobirama loved children, and this one was his. And they both knew it might be his only chance to ever have a child on his own.

“You’d know that there is still the possibility to lose it, even if you want to keep it. You’d also know that it had been three weeks since the battle.” Tobirama raised his brows.

“That long?”

“Yes. It wasn’t just your injuries that kept you down, but also chakra exhaustion. And you remember how you said you weren’t feeling well, I mean before you lost your consciousness?”

“Hm, yes. I felt slightly nauseous, but I thought it was due to the limited access to food on my way back from the mission, and I barely slept.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? We’d have gone without you.”

“I’m the heir. I can’t just stay behind. You know that there isn’t anyone who might keep up with Izuna, except Touka maybe, but…he’s my responsibility, like yours is to fight Madara.” Tobirama rasped.

“But I don’t want you to fight if you aren’t feeling fine. I almost lost you, Tobira. I…I can’t lose you. You are my baby brother, my last brother.” Hashirama felt how tears formed, but he tried to keep them at bay.

“But our clan…”

“…will not run into another battle with the Uchiha.”

“What do you mean?” Tobirama narrowed his eyes in question.

A small smile formed around Hashirama’s lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Madara, he sent an offer for a ceasefire only a few days after the battle.” Tobirama’s eyes widen.

“He did?”

“Yes.” Hashirama nodded, though he didn’t look very happy.

“What is it, Anija? You don’t seem happy.”

Hashirama sighed and hung his head, his hair half hiding his face. “I’m not actually sure, Otouto, what to think about it. On one hand, I’m glad Madara reached out and made the offer, but on the other hand, I fear he did it only for selfish reasons.”

“Anija, your entire dream is based on selfish reasons. So, why does it matter if he’s doing it as well?” Hashirama's eyes widened, and he stared at his brother in complete amazement.

“If…I…huh. Ok. You have a point. Still, I don’t like it.”

“Why?”

“A week after the battle, I was out, strengthening our border when the Uchiha arrived. They didn’t try to cross the river, just watched from the distance. It was only when Madara with Izuna and his cousin…Hikaku, was his name I think…arrived that I showed myself. Then we talked. I admit it wasn’t the right place, and kind of stupid, but one word led to another and…”, Hashirama took a deep breath, “…to make it short. Madara acknowledged that you are not to blame, told something about getting suspicious and investigating the memories of that guy.”

Tobirama paled, and choked, “He looked into his memories?”

Hashirama nodded sharply once. “I’m sorry, Tobi.”

“Just give me a second.”

“Maybe, it’s better I tell you another day. You have just woken up.”

“No. No, I’m fine. And this is important.”

“You’re more important, Otouto. Please, don’t push yourself.” Ever so gentle, Hashirama reached out with a hand and rubbed his brother’s cheek before running a hand through his hair. Tobirama closed his eyes and without noticing it drifted slowly back to sleep. Hashirama readjusted the blanket around Tobirama, being also done with his examination.

It was two hours later that Tobirama opened his eyes again, blinking sluggishly until his eyes landed on his brother, who was dozing next to him.

“Hashi?”

“I’m here, Otouto. You fell asleep just for a couple of hours. Don’t worry.”

“Hm. Water?”

“Of course.” Hashirama took the cup with fresh water from the small table and carefully lifted Tobirama’s head, putting the cup at his lips to let him slowly take a few sips.

“Thanks, Anija.” Tobirama watched his brother placing the cup back on the small table, and waited until Hashirama was looking at him before speaking, “So, tell me. What exactly happened with the Uchiha? You said Madara watched the memories and confirmed I was raped, not the other way around. As much I wish it didn’t happen, it’s a good thing, right?”

“Maybe. And that’s not really the problem. The problem is that he hadn’t even informed his clan about sending me an offer for a ceasefire. You should have seen their faces. They were shocked. Izuna looked even furious.”

“Oh.”

“Yes, oh. How does he think I’ll trust that this isn’t just a farce. You have been already unconscious, but the Uchiha were clearly uninterested in being at peace with us. The imbecile that hurt you said that our clans would never be friends, and most Uchiha nodded in agreement. And then suddenly, I receive a letter with the offer of a ceasefire. Two years, Tobirama. For two years I asked him, pleaded for him to help me stop this endless circle of death. The day after the battle, I thought about it, asking myself why he hadn’t accepted, but from how his clan behaved, I finally understood that it wasn’t so easy. What would it mean to accept my offer, when his clan itself is not interested? The peace would end before it even started.”

“Anija. Anija, calm down.”

Hashirama took several deep breaths to calm down and get control over his chakra.

“Sorry, Otouto.”

“It’s fine, Anija.” Tobirama patted Hashirama’s hand before giving it a light squeeze. He waited until he was sure it was safe to continue their conversation. “Anija, I hate to say it, but I told you that the decision to accept your offer might not be solely Madara’s to make. Don’t forget that there are Senju, who were and still are against your plan of making peace with the Uchiha, but they keep their mouth shut, because the majority accepted your plans, even if they might not like it themselves.”

“I know. I spoke with Touka about it. She said she isn’t against a ceasefire, even a peace treaty, but she can’t see herself living in close proximity with the Uchiha. And that’s the same for most of our clan members. And I can’t blame them.”

“No. Too much blood has been shed between us.”

“Indeed. And I almost lost you too.” Hashirama squeezed his eyes shut, trying hard not to cry.

“I’m still here, Anija.” Tobirama whispered and slightly pulled at Hashirama’s sleeve, though Hashirama didn’t seem to notice.

“I don’t know what I’d have done, if I had lost you. And for a short time, I thought my dream was lost to me as well.”

“And now you are closer than ever.” Tobirama snickered, trying to soothe the tension, but then a frown appeared in his face.

“Say, why were you out to strengthen our border when we have a ceasefire now?”

“Well, first of all, I haven’t accepted the ceasefire yet.” Hashirama answered a little sheepishly.

“Huh?”

“I said to Madara I’d give him an answer after you woke up. This will be your decision as well, Tobirama, and I want to know your opinion about it. There will be a few matters that I want to be included before I sign anything.”

“There are?”

“Yes. And I want to discuss those things with you.” Hashirama gave Tobirama a smile. “You don’t have to worry, Otouto. Since the battle, no Senju got involved in a fight with the Uchiha. To be precise, I was the only one who met them, and that was only that one time. Since then, we neither saw nor heard anything from them. You’d say we already have a ceasefire in place, even if unofficial.”

“I see.”

“I think it’s also because the winter is close, and both our clans are in need to end our preparations for it. We are almost done. It was one other reason I strengthen our border. It allowed me to send more Senju out to get supplies. And it was good that I did, because the traders already have stopped supplying the nearby villages with goods. I’m not willing to let our people starve. The last winter was already hard enough, and this one might even be harder.”

Tobirama narrowed his eyes and let his chakra spread out of the compound to feel the air outside. After a minute, he said. “I think you’re right. I can feel it. You’d warn our clan. I fear there will be a snowstorm soon.”

“Are you sure? That’s quite early.”

“I’m sure brother.”

“Okay. Just wait a second.” Hashirama stood and left, only to return five minutes later. “I told Touka. She’ll inform the rest.” Hashirama returned to his seat next to Tobirama and lovingly ran a hand through silky hair.

“There is one positive side winter is coming. I don’t have to fear you running in any battle.”

“As if I have a choice.” Tobirama snorted.

“Indeed, you don’t have one. But I know you. You wouldn’t hesitate to run and come to my or the clans’ aid, no matter what your own feelings for them are, if you think it’s necessary. The Uchiha aren’t our only enemy after all. However, your body isn’t fit for any fights, and this pregnancy will be hard on you, let us not kidding about it. Any stress on your body could lead to a miscarriage. Therefore, for the next months, you’ll mostly stay in bed.”

“Anija.”

“No, Tobirama. I mean it. You’ll only leave me or Touka at your side. You have to promise me that. Your injuries are mostly healed, but you’re still suffering from chakra exhaustion and soreness. Because of your reduced lung capacity, you also tire more quickly.”

“That isn’t really a reason, Anija. More the opposite. If I don’t want to lose more of my stamina, then I need to do exercises.” Hashirama bit on his lip, knowing his brother was right.

“Let us at least wait until another month passed. The healers said the first semester, three months of pregnancy have the highest risk to lose a baby. You’re almost two months pregnant, so let us wait for another five weeks. It’ll also allow your other wounds, including your ribs, to heal completely.”

“Hm, okay. Makes sense. But let me help you with having an eye on the border, at least. You know that my senses are stronger than yours. I can easily keep an eye on the land even pass the Uchiha compound.” Hashirama shook his head.

“No, not as long as your chakra hasn’t returned to at least a less worrisome level, and even then, you’ll be careful to not exhaust yourself. I have strengthened our border by planting more trees. There will be no one passing them without me noticing. So, there is no need for you to have an eye on it.”

“Fine.” Tobirama pouted, while Hashirama smiled brightly.

Then another frown appeared on Tobirama’s face. “What if the Uchiha learn about the child?”

“They already know or have a very good guess at least.”

“Huh?”

“Well, Madara might not look like it…”, Hashirama snickered, “…but he isn’t stupid. I think he got it rather quickly that there might be a possibility of your unwilling encounter with the Uchiha resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. He also was very displeased with his fellow clan member when the guy blamed you.”

“Mind to repeat that? That guy did what?” Tobirama snarled, and Hashirama was quick to place a hand on his shoulder when he tried to sit up again.

“It was kind of stupid. Madara had just explained how he figured something was wrong with what his clan mate had mentioned on the battlefield and admitted that something like this should never have happened. Like us, they train their alphas and omegas to control themselves in the case they run into an omega in heat or alpha in rut.” Hashirama huffed.

“Regardless, I said something about their pride as a clan and how careless they are, and it was then that this guy suddenly accused you of triggering his rut and forcing him to sleep with you.” Hashirama’s face turned dark and Tobirama could scent the angry alpha. Normally, Hashirama smells like a forest in the morning, fresh, slightly bitter and with a certain woody note, easily attributed to his chakra nature and being the wielder of the Mokuton.

But it was this bitter tone that got more pronounced the more Hashirama’s mood turned sour. And it was even worse when he was truly angry, because like now Hashirama’s chakra easily responded to his feelings.

Tobirama seemed to be the only one who was barely affected by it though, more the opposite in fact. Where others would flinch or bare their throat in a submissive gesture, Tobirama felt comfortable and safe, like being in a warm bubble while outside the storm was raging. There had been only one time when Hashirama had lashed out at Tobirama and that had been when he found out that Tobirama had betrayed him by telling their father of his meeting with Madara at the Naka River, which he only did because Butsuma forced the truth out of him.

Tobirama had flinched away from his brother so badly that Hashirama himself was shocked by what he had done. In seconds he was a sobbing mess that asked for forgiveness, even taking in a submissive position that Tobirama had no other choice as to forgive him. Since then, Hashirama did everything to control his scent and chakra so it wouldn’t affect Tobirama while others were forced to submit or to cover in fear.

So even now, Tobirama didn’t flinch. Instead, Tobirama used his own scent of fresh rain during a summer storm, what indicated on his own water nature in chakra, to sooth his brother.

Hashirama took in his brother’s scent, that slightly turned sweeter. Something he hadn’t noticed before due to the scent blockers his brother wore during the day even when being in the compound, and of course during his missions where he wouldn’t take them off even at night.

After a few more inhales, he continued. “I told them that you didn’t remember anything, so he dared even to tell me that you may just have lied to me to know nothing. Unfortunately, that caused me to imply something I hadn’t intended to do. I was just so angry.” Tobirama frowned, then groaned.

“Please don’t tell me you told them about my condition.”

“Not directly, no. But I may have mentioned that if the Senju would be a clan of rapists, I wouldn’t send you because of what Butsuma had done to you. I’m sorry, Otouto, I didn’t mean to. And it was all what I said to that matter, I swear.” Hashirama threw his puppy eyes at Tobirama. “Madara had asked, but at that point I already regretted to have said anything, so I just told them again it wasn’t their business, less that they would believe me.” He pouted.

“You and your big mouth, but fine, at least you caught yourself. I forgive you.” Tobirama sighed. “Give me some water will you. My throat is killing me.” They both froze for a second before Tobirama added, “That wasn’t what I meant. I’m fine, it’s just sore.”

“I…I know. But…still let me check again…I need to be sure.” Tobirama nodded and slightly moved his head. His brother was the only person for whom he would ever voluntarily bare his neck. He wouldn’t even do that with Touka, not because he didn’t trust her per se, but because he knew Hashirama was the only one who he fully trusted to protect him should someone attack while being so vulnerable. Something that Touka understood and didn’t take as an offense against her strength as an alpha.

Hashirama was quick with his examination and helped Tobirama to drink some more water before lying down next to him with his face buried in Tobirama’s neck and an arm thrown over Tobirama’s chest as a protective gesture, taking deep breaths to sooth his alpha who needed the proximity to his omega brother right now. It was completely normal behavior between siblings or mates when one was distressed and needed the comfort, or when one was seriously injured and the other needed to smell them to know they were still there.

“I hadn’t noticed before, but your scent has changed. It’s sweeter.” Hashirama said after a minute.

“I guess it’s because of the pregnancy.”

“Yes, and it’ll become stronger the more advanced the pregnancy becomes.” There was a short pause, before Hashirama continued, tone a little hesitant. “Otouto, please don’t misunderstand this, but is there a possibility that someone else…”

“No.” Tobirama interrupted. “To both of your questions. Neither is there a lover nor someone else who…forced himself on me.” Hashirama nodded, taking another deep breath to inhale his brother’s scent, that was still sweet with no signs of distress.

“Okay. The question would be how to explain it in the future. This isn’t something we can keep a secret. Maybe if you weren't pregnant. But with the child? Sooner or later, it will come out and raise questions."

“The other clans.”

“The other clans. I threatened Madara should there be any false accusations. He said he’d personally clear up any rumors accusing you of being a bloodline thief or whatever, but I’d prefer it if there aren’t any in the first place. Rumors of such kind are bad, true or not, and it’ll be difficult to get rid of them once they spread around. And I don’t trust that others would keep their mouth shut, especially the Uchiha who tried to lie into my face.”

“The father of…”

“He may have a hand in creating that little miracle, but I won’t allow him to claim the title of father to the child. It’s yours and yours alone Tobirama. I see that child as a miracle, yes, but that doesn’t change the fact what he had done to you, and I won’t forgive him. And I won’t allow anyone to spread any rumors that you tricked an Uchiha to sleep with you, that includes also our own clan.” Hashirama interrupted, a little more harshly than he had intended. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to growl at you.”

“Don’t be sorry, Anija, I know you aren’t angry at me. And you are right. This is indeed a miracle. And I don’t plan to blame the child for what their fa…sperm donor…had done to me.”

“Good. That’s good. Me neither. I’m truly looking forward meeting them.” Hashirama let his hand wander back to his brother’s abdomen. It was hard for him to keep his hand away, because he needed the reassurance that his niece or nephew was still there. They already were part of his small pack, and he also knew what it might do to his brother, if he loses the little miracle.

After another pause, Hashirama asked carefully in a whisper. “How are you taking it, anyway? What he did to you, I mean.” Tobirama stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, considering his answer.

“I can’t remember much of that night. I lost consciousness and was unaware of what he was doing. Actually, I was sure I was going to die. I have no memories of the act itself, which I’m glad about, but I don’t know what happened after either and it’s unsettling me…I don’t know if I will feel save enough to sleep on my own again, not for a while at least.” He didn’t like to admit it, but it was the truth.

“Understandable. And I must apologize again because I didn’t ask if you want me so close. It’s just…”

“You’re my brother and I’ll never flinch away from your touch or push you away if you need my scent for comfort. I think you know me well enough that you’d have noticed should this here…”, he pointed with a finger between them, “…cause me any unpleasant feelings.” Tobirama moved his head, so he was looking straight into Hashirama’s eyes.

“Silly, Anija. Do you not know how much your presence calms me? It’ll be probably the only reason for me to get proper sleep without having my guard up and waking at any tiny noise or smell that might disturb me. Nothing unusual when being on a solo mission, but I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep even if Touka or others of our clan stand guard, or even if I’m sleeping in my own room alone.”

“Oh. Does it mean I can sleep in your nest again?”

Tobirama sighed. “I think that would be the best, especially now that I’m pregnant and will most likely need your scent even more to truly feel safe. I guess it’s the same as when Butsuma was still alive, and I feared he’d storm into my room any second to do something worse as he already did. I’d only find sleep when you were with me.”

“And it took you a while to be comfortable enough to sleep on your own even after he was gone.”

“Yeah. I don’t think it’d take me long to overcome my instincts like last time if I wouldn’t be pregnant. But now? There isn’t only the fear that someone could take advantage of my body while I’m sleeping, but also the fear that they might try to kill me and my child, or after it’s born take it away from me. I know that most of the clan is no threat to me, and though there is no love between them and me, we learned to respect each other after Butsuma’s demise.”

“But there are still those that haven’t changed their opinion and see in you nothing as the tool Butsuma created.” Tobirama nodded, having closed his eyes in the meanwhile. All this talk about sleep reminded his body how tired he still was. Hashirama noticed, and carefully rearranged their position so that Tobirama was half lying on him with his nose pressed against Hashirama’s own scent gland.

“Sleep Otouto, I won’t leave your side until you wake up again.”

“Mhm. And if you need to pee?” Tobirama mumbled.

“Don’t worry about it.” Hashirama stifled his laugh by pressing a kiss on his baby brother’s head. “Sleep.”

Chapter Text

The next day Tobirama woke up due to a commotion outside, and the movements of his brother on whom he still laid on. He didn’t notice how his body had tensed and automatically made himself smaller.

“H’rama?” He slurred, slowly blinking his eyes open.

“Shh. I’m here. You’re safe.” Hashirama whispered, gently running a hand through white hair.

“’know. ‘hat’s g’ing on?”

“Just one of the elders making a fuse. I haven’t talked to them since we brought you back.”

“Hashirama. We need to talk. You can’t hide forever.” Hashirama had to suppress his growl as he heard the screaming voice from elder Homura coming through the closed door.

“Elder Homura, you’ll leave immediately. You weren’t invited to step into the house of the clan head and his family.” This time it was Touka they heard yelling. She was also clearly on edge.

“Get out of my way. I don’t care about the omega bitch, Hashirama has some explaining to do.”

“Oh, he better not said that.” Tobirama snarled. Homura was one of the few elders and clan members that refused to see in omegas more than breeding slaves, the same as their father, just that Butsuma decided that an abomination like Tobirama shouldn’t be able to procreate and bring more disgrace into the Senju’s main line in the first place. It was one more reason why the clan was happy when Hashirama finally took over and ended the abuse of each omega in the clan.

It didn’t mean they were less wary of Tobirama himself, even if it got better over time. But the first few months after Hashirama took over, many alphas mostly felt offended that an omega was their heir and was not as submissive as expected, while the omegas were irritated that an omega behaved like an alpha. That Tobirama stopped hiding his red eyes and general appearance, at least among the clan, didn’t help either.

Years of Butsuma calling his own son a disgrace and an abomination while isolating Tobirama from the clan, so that neither he nor the clan ever got to know each other, is also a main reason why many still avoided Tobirama and vice versa.

But that too has slightly changed over time. The warriors within the clan started to behave more respectfully towards their heir especially after they realized that it was only him standing between them and Uchiha Izuna, who most didn’t wish to fight, knowing they most likely wouldn’t survive the encounter.

At the end, Tobirama didn’t care much about what the clan was thinking about him. Hashirama and Touka were the only two people among the Senju whose opinion really meant something to Tobirama, the only two people with whom he felt comfortable enough to let slip his mask and share his feelings. A fact that Tobirama was well aware of could destroy him if they ever turn their backs on him, especially Hashirama.

Just when Hashirama wanted to say something the door was thrown open and revealed elder Homura, yelling, “Hashirama”.

“Out.” Hashirama ordered, having immediately tensed, and tightened his grip around Tobirama’s body.

“Not before you explain what’s going on. What is the meaning of rejecting requests for missions. Why are our patrols retreating instead of engaging our enemy. The Uchiha…”

“Out, elder Homura, or I’ll remove you myself. I won’t repeat it a third time.”

“You…”

“He said, out.” Touka growled, standing behind the elder.

“I won’t leave before I have any answers to my questions.” A thick vine grew from the plant that stood next to the door and lashed out. Touka was just quick enough to step to the side, before it made contact and pushed the elder away from the room.

“Sorry, Hashirama, I take care of it.” Touka bowed and closed the door.

“That was rude, Anija.” Tobirama said sarcastically.

“I don’t care. He invaded our home, my private chambers. He’d know better what a bad idea it is to get into the space of an alpha that is taking care of a vulnerable family member, or their mate.”

“I can take care of myself. I’m not a baby.” Tobirama grumbled.

“You will be forever my baby brother, doesn’t matter in the slightest how old you are. And I failed you enough. I won’t make the same mistakes again, Otouto.” Tobirama moved his head so he could look at Hashirama, who still stared at the door with a scowl.

“Anija.” Tobirama snapped a finger against his brother’s forehead.

“Ouch. That was mean, Otouto.” Hashirama pouted, rubbing the spot on his forehead.

“You didn’t fail me, Anija. You did everything possible to keep me safe. You even killed Butsuma, and you stood up for me more than once.”

“And yet, I failed to see that you felt bad.”

“That’s not your fault. It was my decision. A stupid one, yes, but still my own. A mistake that almost cost my life, but one I survived thanks to you, and one I’ll learn from.”

“Do you?”

“Yes, of course. Regardless, it’ll be a while before I’ll join another battle, possible a very long time, maybe never.” Tobirama sat, rubbing the spot on his chest where the sword has punctured his lung and skin and then his abdomen, where his little miracle resided.

“Hm.”

“Anija, what’s really bothering you?”

Hashirama sighed. “So many things, Tobi. For so many years I dreamed of a village where our children could grow up in safety. For so long I wished, I’ll no longer be forced to send you on dangerous missions, that I’d keep you save in a village where you’d live your dream of being a scholar and maybe a sensei to the next generations.” Tobirama raised a brow at that.

Hashirama saw the question in his brother’s eyes “Tobi. I can see how you look at the children. I saw you even once teaching Anata and Yukari. And I know that you’re still teaching them, even after they parents had forbidden them seeing you.” And if that wasn’t like a stab through his chest. Tobirama loved children. He loved his younger brothers like they were his own cubs. Seeing or more like feeling them die was devastating, and when parents ushered their children away whenever Tobirama was close always felt like a punch into the gut. It had been just a coincidence when Anata and Yukari stumbled into Tobirama one afternoon. He had looked around for any adults, but no one was close, and the two kids refused to leave Tobirama. So, he took it as a chance and showed them a few jutsus, even trying to teach them one or two minor jutsus until their mother suddenly appeared and yelled at Tobirama and the kids to stay away from each other.

That, however, didn’t stop the kids from sneaking away and visiting Tobirama, who couldn’t deny them. He blamed his omega nature on it, or maybe because they reminded him so much of his younger siblings. And though he knew it was wrong he continued teaching them.

He focused back into the presence when he felt a light touch on his knee. “Sorry brother. Please continue. What else bothers you?”

Hashirama gave him a calculating look but refrained from saying anything else about his brother’s relationship with the clan’s children and their parents.

Instead, he continued, “I don’t know, Tobi. I hoped for so long that when Madara and I become clan heads it’d solve our problems and we’d finally unite our clans, but now? I can’t stop thinking that this ceasefire might be just a trap. A trap to steal the child once it is clear that Uchiha blood flows in his veins. And I hate having such thoughts, because I trust Madara. He was so open the other day. He’d have lied but didn’t. And I know that he was honest. And I’m so tired, tired of all the fights, of burying our people.”

“We are Shinobi.”

“I know that. I also know that even with a village we’ll not stop to be just that, that there will be still missions from which some of our Shinobis will probably not come back from. And I’m not naïve enough to belief that a village would solve all our problems.”

“Mhm. Other countries might also start to build their own Shinobi villages. Clan fights could easily become fights between villages.”

“Maybe it’s truly just a dream.” Hashirama sighed.

“Hey. Where is my Anija, my optimistic and over-dramatic big brother?” Tobirama put his hands on each of Hashirama’s cheeks and looked him deeply in the eyes. “Don’t give up, Anija. Peace can have many forms. And you’re one big step closer having your dream of a village coming to fruition. I may not be a huge fan of living together with the Uchiha, but when it means that our, my child can grow up without fear? I’ll do anything for that, Anija.”

“Tobi.” Hashirama whispered, but Tobirama hasn’t finished yet.

“And you know, I never said it before, but who says that we need the Uchiha to build the village?”

“Huh?”

“Anija, the Senju and Uchiha aren’t the only clans in Hi no Kuni. We have allies among the other clans. Why don’t you asked them what they think about the idea of it?”

“I don’t know Tobira. Do you really think they might be interested?”

“You won’t know if you don’t ask them.” Tobirama shrugged.

“Oh. I never thought about it like this. Why haven’t you told me that much earlier?” Hashirama pouted.

“Because your mind was set on doing it together with the Uchiha. And to be honest, it’d be the better option in the long run. I don’t know if the Uchiha would join a village that was meant to be your and Madara’s dream. They could take it as an offense, and it’d make everything worse. Not forgetting that they have their own alliances among the other clans. And therefore, I’m not sure if said clans could be easily convinced of the idea. I don’t say it’s impossible, but I suggest we wait and see if the ceasefire with the Uchiha will last.”

“Let us say, the ceasefire works, how long do you think until I can propose for a peace treaty?”

“Hm. If the Uchiha don’t do it first, then I’d suggest let us wait for until the next winter has passed. During the winter itself, the fights had always been on a very minimum level, so the true challenge will be the time between one winter and the next. And if it is not this winter, then it will be the next one that could make everyone, Uchiha and Senju alike, realize that peace would benefit all of us, but especially the Uchiha. I can say that the last winter was tough for them, and I am very sure that they are facing the same problems as us in preparing for the winter, if not more, since they don't have a Mokuton user, who can easily repair some damages on houses or replace furniture.”

“But they a noble clan.”

“Doesn’t matter. Even nobles can run out of money if they aren’t careful. And you know the costs of repairing armor and weapons. You know how bad our financial situation had been while Butsuma was still clan head. You also need shinobis fit enough to take on missions, which can be really difficult if you constantly lead them into battles where many get injured. And the Uchiha don’t have the abilities to heal their injured as fast as we can.”

“Right.” Hashirama stroked his brother’s hair, who had leaned back against him. “How are you feeling?”

“Sore. And slightly nauseous.”

“The latter is most likely due to pregnancy. Many pregnant people suffer from it, especially in the first semester.” He put a green glowing hand against Tobirama’s belly, who started to relax when the twist in his stomach stopped.

“You’d speak to the elders, Anija. I won’t go anywhere.”

“But I want to cuddle with you a little more.” Hashirama pouted, pushing his head into Tobirama’s hair. The albino sighed but didn’t protest his brother’s ministrations.

----

Hashirama sat in perfect seiza in front of the clan elders, not hiding his anger he felt for having his home invaded by elder Homura.

“Hashirama. We can understand the worry about your brother’s health, but you can’t just make any decision without consoling your elders.” Elder Hayato scolded him.

“Oh? Am I not the clan head?”

“You are, but that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want, especially if it concerns the safety of our clan.”

“Please explain to me what leads you to think that our clan will not be safe.” Hashirama said flatly.

“You refuse to take on missions that would earn our clan a lot of money, you leave our border wide open for Uchiha to trespass whenever they want. You ordered our patrols to retreat instead of hindering our enemy to come close to our home, you…”

“Elder Homura. I’ll stop you right there. For one, our border isn’t open as you might think it is. I thickened our border by planting more trees, which allows me to have a close eye on what is happening. Secondly, I’ll no longer tolerate that clan members are fighting in an endless cycle of senseless killing.”

“Senseless? The Uchiha are our sworn enemy, we’ve to eliminate them all.”

“And to which cost? How many more of our clan members will you sacrifice?”

“We must avenge our fallen comrades. Will you let their sacrifice be pointless?”

“It is already pointless. We don’t even remember why we are enemies with the Uchiha. The only reason I hear every time we discuss this issue, is that they killed our people, which we do in return. There is no point, no meaning, no goal. And I’m done. I almost lost Tobirama.”

“Tsk. That sounds like you only care about what happened to your brother. What about all the clan members that died before? Why haven’t you decided to stop it before almost losing your heir?”

“I tried, several times in fact as you’re well aware of.”

“Yes, but haven’t the Uchiha declined your offer of peace each single time? So, what is different now. We still have no peace. Will you continue your foolish attempt of making peace with them.”

“We may have no peace, but the Uchiha clan head sent me an offer for a ceasefire.”

“A ceasefire? When? Why? Don’t say you already accepted it.”

“No, I haven’t accepted it, not yet.”

“No? No? Please, elaborate, because I can’t follow. If you haven’t accepted it, then why are we withdrawing our patrols instead of increasing them.” Homura slammed his fist into the ground.

“Because I still want the pointless fights to end. I want to concentrate on sending our Shinobi on missions that will help us earn money without possible confrontations, which is also the reason why I reject some of the mission requests. In addition, our numbers are swindling should you not have noticed it yet. How many children have been born in the last three years?” The elders looked at each other confused.

“What do you mean?” Elder Makoto asked, the only omega among the elders, something else that Hashirama had demanded after taking over as clan head. “Haven’t Yamada and Yasuo not birthed just two months ago. A healthy girl for Yamada, and a very spirited boy for Yasuo.”

“That are only two within a year. Not a great number to replace those we are losing in battle. After all, we lost ten of our clan members just within the past three months.”

“Maybe if you haven’t stopped the alphas to breed their omegas as soon as they go into heat, we would have much more newborn.” Homura snarled, while Makoto send him a disapproving look.

“So, you want using our omegas as breeding stock without them having any say in it? To teach and send our children on missions as soon as they can hold a knife? I’m not Butsuma. I think I made my point clear when I became clan head. The omegas and any female able to carry will chose for themselves if they want to carry the next generation or not. And my point stands. Our number goes still up to almost two hundred members of our clan, but if we want it to stay it like that then we need to at least stop sending our Shinobi into battles that are meaningless.”

“The most money we earn is fighting in battles.”

“Maybe, and I’m aware that I can’t prevent them from happening, but I can choose of which we are fighting. Have you ever thought about why other countries hire us? Why almost every time we are facing the Uchiha?”

“Of course, because they know that we are the only ones who can stand up to them.”

“Hm. You know, Tobirama once stated that there might be another reason.”

“What does he know? He’s just a useless omega bitch that got himself raped and almost killed.”

“Homura.” Makoto hissed, followed by a chilling silence.

“It’s pointless.” Hashirama said after a minute with an expressionless face. “You know what. You seem to know what is best for the clan. I’ll resign my title as clan head. Chose whoever you want. I’ll take my brother, and we’ll join our mother’s clan, the Hatake.”

“What?”

“You can’t do that.”

“Let us be reasonable.”

“You’d turn your back on your clan?"

There were more shoots from several shocked elders, but Hashirama ignored them all and was just ready to stand up when a pale hand landed on his shoulder to stop him. Hashirama stopped in his movement and looked up at the person, who was no other than his baby brother, wrapped in a warm Yukata and helped by Touka, both staring at the elders.

“Tobira. What are you doing here? You’d be in bed.”

“It’s fine, Anija. I had a feeling you might need me, so I asked Touka to escort me. And as I can see, I was right.” Tobirama squeezed Hashirama’s shoulder before he carefully with help of Touka settled next to Hashirama, also in perfect seiza, though it wasn’t very comfortable due to his injuries.

“Let me make a few things clear. Firstly, you…”, Tobirama stared at his brother, “…will not resign. You are clan head and as far as I’m aware no one wants another clan head, at least not outside from this room.”

“Secondly, …”, he turned his gaze to the now quiet elders, “…omegas aren’t your little breeding slaves, nor are any children born into the clan your little soldiers. We settled these issues already years ago. Thirdly, our clan is far from dying out, though it’s also a fact that our number will rapidly dwindle if we don’t stop sending our Shinobis on suicide missions or on a battlefield, we know in beforehand will end with several of us dying. You can’t deny that it’s only because of me and anija that we aren’t losing much more of our own while battling the Uchiha or other clans. You’re fully aware that our loss is much higher whenever one or both of us aren’t there to keep the strongest of our opponents occupied, especially if it comes to fighting the Uchiha.” Tobirama let his eyes wander, meeting each of the elders’ eyes for a second.

“I know you don’t like me very much, and I truly don’t care. But I won’t let you destroy the clan out of stubbornness. Since Hashirama became clan head our losses have shrunk significantly. Yes, it’s the same for the number of newborns, but I’m convinced that the number will also increase in time again. Most of the omegas and beta females are just fearing to lose any more of their children.”

At that most furrowed their brows in confusion, and Tobirama could only shake his head of the ignorance displayed.

“Do you think losing a child is fun, to watch them being buried in tiny graves there will never come out from again? What do you think was the reason, why our mother died? It was sheer heartbreak. First, our father that took me away and didn’t allow her to see her second son, then the loss of Kawarama, who was only seven when forced to join his first battle and finally the loss of her youngest, who was brutally murdered and died alone before anyone could reach him. Not to forget all the abuse she suffered from Butsuma after giving birth to an abomination like me…”

“Otouto.” Hashirama hissed in protest, but Tobirama ignored him, still watching the clan elders.

“It spoke of her strength to have lived through all of this until it finally broke her, not like the omegas who couldn’t even bear losing one of their young children.”

“We are Shinobi.”

“And? You have to get it in your brain that there is a difference in losing your child at an age where it can barely hold a knife and an age that is above twenty. What disturbs me most, however, is that your alpha instincts seem to not work as they should. I already wondered when Butsuma was still alive. Any alpha worth calling himself one should have gone into an alpha rage when they lost a child.”

“What do you know? You aren’t an alpha, just a…”

“I’m an alpha.” Hashirama interrupted sharply. “A very protective one. That will be your last warning, elder Homura. Don’t dare me.” Hashirama stared at the elderly with cold eyes.

Homura managed to hold himself for 10 seconds before he lowered his gaze in submission.

“My brother has a point. Alphas should be protective of their pups. But, I can also understand why no one dared to stand up and protest my father’s decision. He was the clan head and a very strong alpha. But even he isn’t to blame for the person he became, not completely. It was the war. It twisted us all one way or another. You…”, Hashirama pointed at Homura and three other elders, “…your mind is set on continuing the endless cycle of death. You stopped seeing your clan members as friends, family, even as a pack. You only see soldiers ready to be used to fight your battles, not caring in the slightest if they survive or not.”

“That’s not true.” Homura turned bright red in anger, but Hashirama just scoffed.

“You don’t even see our omegas as human beings. I wonder why I haven’t removed you from the elder’s council yet. You’re not worth that position anymore. And right now, I need elders that will support my idea of peace.”

“Because of the ceasefire?” Elder Makoto asked.

“Yes. I have spoken with Madara a couple of days after I received the letter. I made it clear that there will be some harsh conditions put into the ceasefire and that I’ll send him a response once Tobirama is awake. However, I’ve no intention of asking you about your opinion.”

“You can’t do that.”

“He can. Your opinion doesn’t matter. The majority of the clan wants the fight to end. You’ll either accept it or leave. No one will be forced to stay, but neither will we allow a minority to destroy any chance of peace.” Tobirama cut in.

“And what if I don’t leave? Will you force me to kneel in front of our enemies?”

Hashirama shook his head. “If we do this, then Senju and Uchiha will do it as equals. Neither clan will be above the other.”

“And what if the Uchiha won’t accept your terms?”

“We are talking about a ceasefire, not a peace treaty. It’ll mostly be about both clans staying away from each other’s territory and how to behave when meeting outside of them. Winter won’t be much of a problem, because both our clans will be occupied with more important things, mainly by surviving the cold and any illnesses it brings. It’ll be the time between this and next winter that will be interesting. After that, we will see.”

“And if the ceasefire won’t hold?” Elder Akihito, a male beta, asked.

“Well, I think it depends, who will be the reason of it to fail. So, let me warn you directly. Should the reason be one of our own clan or several members, I’ll step down as clan head, take my brother and Touka and leave you. I don’t care if you call me a traitor or whatever. I have done everything for this clan.”

“You mean your brother.” Homura scoffed.

“Elder Homura. Why don’t you shut your mouth and just leave.” Heads turned to the voice of elder Hideyoshi, Touka’s grandfather, who had been quiet so far.

“I agree. I’m done listening to you. It’s frustrating and depressing.” Elder Yumiko added, a female alpha, and one of the best healers the Senju clan had. She was also the one who performed the necessary surgery on Tobirama’s lung.

“The clan has seen enough death. We almost lost our heir. For two years I pleaded to any kami that the Uchiha would finally accept Hashirama’s peace offer. And though this isn’t how I wished or expected it to happen, I’m happy to hear that the Uchiha reached out and offered a ceasefire. I trust that our clan head and heir will handle it just fine without our further senseless bickering. And once the ceasefire is signed and in place I’ll drink until I can’t think straight.”

“Elder Yumiko.” Hashirama yelped, staring at the elderly with eyes wide open.

“Hashirama. I observed you long enough. I know you like to act like a stupid and naive brat, but today alone you have shown that you are anything but that. Should the ceasefire fail because of us, I’ll happily pack my stuff and follow. Let those unable to let go fight and choke on their own blood. I have seen enough kids and young people die.” Hideyoshi nodded in agreement.

“My thoughts as well. We are Shinobi and there will always be a risk of being serious injured or killed during a mission. But this war had gone out of hand. Neither side knows why it even started. And now we have finally the chance to end it.”

“What if the Uchiha are the one breaking the ceasefire, hm?” Homura asked through gritted teeth.

“Well, let us say, whoever breaks the ceasefire will be the loser at the end. And despite what I said of leaving, I don’t plan to give up on my clan, yet, which also means that I’ll have a close eye on everyone who shows any signs of wanting to boycott it. I’ll sooner get rid of that person or people than let them destroy our future. So, you better think if you want to stay or leave. Just be aware that in the second case you will be viewed just as any enemy as well.” Hashirama gave the elders one last look before standing and picking his brother up, who let out a hissed protest, which Hashirama ignored.

“Excuse us. My brother and I must write a letter. I’ll give you copy of the final draft as soon as Uchiha Madara and I have signed the ceasefire.”

“Very well, Hashirama-sama. We won’t further disturb you. And Tobirama-sama, please be careful and get well soon. My granddaughter misses to spar with you.”

“Tobirama-sama won’t spar for quite a while, Hideyoshi. In case you haven’t heard it, our heir is expecting.” Yumiko snickered at seeing Tobirama’s flushed face.

“Oh? Touka hasn’t mentioned that yet. You know that I have just came back yesterday. Who’s the father? I thought…”

“Grandfather. I’ll explain later.” Touka interrupted, though she wasn’t looking at him but at elder Homura, who had a sneer on his face.

“Why not tell him? Let him know that our heir is expecting a bastard child from an Uchiha.”

Hideyoshi’s face turned hard, “Tobirama-sama. Is that true?”

“Yes. And I’ll keep it.”

“I see. Hashirama…”

“It’ll be a Senju. Uchiha have no right to claim the child as theirs. And I told Madara that I expect that the Uchiha who is responsible will be punished. If they won’t do it, then I’ll do it. There is nothing more you need to know about it. Just be warned that should there be any false rumors spread I’ll make sure that the one spreading them will never speak another word. Because I will not only rip out their tongue, but also rip their bodies to pieces” Hashirama’s eyes turned alpha red for a brief second, while his chakra caused a few cracks appearing in the floor. Then he disappeared with Tobirama in his arms and Touka hot on his heels.

----

“What a mess.” Makoto sighed after a few minutes, sitting between Hideyoshi and Yumiko, who watched the last elder leaving.

“Hm. The circumstances under which the ceasefire came to be might not be the best, but we finally have one. No, we must keep an eye on Homura to make sure he won’t destroy it. This might be our last chance.” Yumiko hummed.

“We need this peace treaty. Our clan will not survive otherwise.” Hideyoshi said.

“I trust Hashirama. He’s a good boy, and so is Tobirama.”

“I think Tobirama is key to bring both clans together. Do you think the Uchiha know that he’s pregnant?” Makoto asked.

Hideyoshi considered the question for a moment, before answering. “I’m not sure, but it might explain why Uchiha Madara offered a ceasefire. He wouldn’t want to risk that his clan might someday be forced to fight against their own kin.”

“Indeed. And he has also to consider what it means when the other clans hear about a Senju child with the Sharingan. They will ask questions.”

“That’s not exactly our problem. Our main problem will be to protect our clan heir from assassination attempts and bloodline thieves. If it comes out that he’s pregnant, then it’ll put an even bigger target on Tobirama. It had been already hard enough to keep an eye on him while he was out on missions. And my summons are still upset that they have lost him that one stormy night almost two months ago.” Hideyoshi scoffed at the last bit.

“Wait a second. Two months ago?”, Yumiko straightened up.

“Yes. Said something about a huge chakra entity that crossed their path. I assume they meant one of those tailed beasts. They already had lost sign of Tobirama after he used his new jutsu. Having mistaken his clone for him. After the beast was gone, they lost any chance of finding Tobirama again.”

“Oh my. They won’t like to hear that it was also the night Tobirama has been…you know.”

“No. They won’t.” Hideyoshi sighed. “Still, far more interesting would be how Tobirama escaped and find his way back to the compound. Has someone saved him?”

“When he was saved then by someone not living in Hi no Kuni, or who doesn’t want to be dragged into the conflict. Though, I can’t imagine that if it was someone from the other clans, they would have kept it a secret. Rapists aren’t very well liked after all.”

“Hm. It’d also be that Tobirama somehow escaped on his own, how unlikely it might be.” Makoto assumed.

“Well, he’s indeed strong, but from what I have seen when Hashirama brought him to the healing halls, the possibility of him escaping on his own is very slim.” Yumiko shook her head.

“Say. If he was raped, shouldn’t you have noticed it? I mean it should have left signs, right?” Hideyoshi wondered.

“There weren’t. And now that you mention it, it makes truly no sense, because I have seen the wound in his side, which was still slightly bleeding. And there was still poison in his system. Which would mean that whoever has rescued him, healed the wounds that could indicate he was raped but left the rest alone. Which would leave the question, Why?”

“Oh, somehow, I get bad feeling about it. I think we should speak with Hashirama and Tobirama.” Makoto cut in.

“Do you think someone might have planned it?” Yumiko looked at Hideyoshi with a furrowed brow.

“Maybe. Maybe they manipulated the Uchiha to rape Tobirama. Maybe they waited long enough before intervening. Maybe they even used a jutsu to make sure Tobirama would get pregnant. And to make sure that no one would find out too soon they healed him enough so no one might suspect anything until it was too late.” Hideyoshi could only shrug.

“At least until he was stabbed.”

“Yeah. Who knows, maybe they have underestimated the possibility of Tobirama getting mortally wounded. Who knows how long they have observed him. They could have thought that there wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Or they put a seal on him that would prevent him to lose the child.” Yumiko mused.

“No way, Tobirama would know.” Makoto protested.

“Tobirama may be great with seals, but he isn’t a seal master, not yet.” Hideyoshi shook his head.

“You know what. We truly should speak with Hashirama and Tobirama.”

“Indeed.”

Forty minutes later, Tobirama, Hashirama, Touka, and three elders looked at Tobirama’s abdomen where a seal slowly appeared on his skin.

“Ehm. Ok. This isn’t good. Or maybe it is when it’s truly there to keep you from miscarrying, but do we know if that’s the only purpose of the seal?” Hashirama asked unsure.

“I can’t tell. I never heard about such a seal. Or, well, I never saw one like this.”

“Maybe, we should send a letter to the Uzumaki?” Touka suggested. “I mean they are the best seal-masters we know of. Maybe they have an idea what it is, or what it’s doing at least.”

“Hm. Not a bad idea. I’ll see if I can find out myself as well, but the Uzumaki will probably be much faster, even if they might not know what it is. And I’d prefer to have an answer before the due date.” Tobirama run a finger over his skin, following the pattern of the seal, and trying to feel how it’s exactly connected to his system. It was definitely connected to his chakra which wasn’t very surprising, except that he wondered why he didn’t feel it before, but it seems to have no connection to the fetus which was a relief.

“Let me make a copy of it.” Tobirama laid flat on his back, while Hashirama put a piece of paper big enough to cover Tobirama’s belly over the seal. It took him almost thirty minutes to finish the copy and hand it over to Tobirama, who gave a slight nod in approval.

“Okay. I’ll send the letter with one of our Hawks. That should be the fastest way. Not that we have any other option. Not with a snowstorm on our front doors.” Hashirama disappeared for ten minutes before returning.

“It’s done. Now, we can only wait.”

“Well, we still have to finish our letter to Madara.”

“Right.”

“We will let you be then. Let us know if you need anything.”

“Thank you. Without you, we may still be unaware about the seal.” Tobirama thanked the elders in earnest.

“It’s not like we knew about it.” Makoto waved with a hand. “It was just a feeling after our brains run a few scenarios.”

“Well, I can’t truly tell if I’m happy about knowing that you’re gossiping about my encounter with the Uchiha, but I guess it’s normal and, in this case, even was helpful. But do me the favor, and don’t say anything to anyone else.”

“No, of course, not.”

“Oh, and Hideyoshi-san. Tell your summoners that I don’t blame them.”

“You…You know?”

“Sensor. There isn’t much that skips my attention. And I can easily differentiate between a normal animal and a summon.”

“I see. Please do not misunderstand it as anything other than your protection.”

“I never have.”

“Good. We know that we haven’t done anything to protect you from Butsuma, but that doesn’t mean we don’t care.”

“I understand. Thank you.” The elders bowed a last time and left the two brothers and Touka to their own devices.

“I think, I need a talk with my grandfather. I feel as I have missed something.” Touka frowned.

“Do that. In the meanwhile, I and Tobirama will work on the ceasefire.”

“See you later then.” Touka vanished after giving Tobirama a quick hug and a light squeeze to Hashirama’s shoulder.

“Shall we then?”

“Yes.”

Several hours later, Hashirama send another letter, this time to the Uchiha.

Chapter Text

Madara sat in his office, running through the different mission reports. He was quite pleased with the results. They earned enough money to fill up their stocks so they wouldn’t starve over the next few months. Normally, they wouldn’t need much because of their own growing fields, but their fields had been destroyed by some unknown forces several years ago and haven’t been very fruitful since then.

The assumption was that something had been used to poison the ground, but they never found out what it was. So, they depended on their allies and the traders to get enough food. And at that time of the year everything was even more expensive than it usually was.

That’s why the money they earned in those few weeks wasn’t enough to buy any supplies to repair the damage to some of the houses. Like last winter and the winter before, families will be forced to seek refuge with some of their neighbors. It wasn’t ideal, but the only option if they didn’t want to freeze to death.

And the possibility for that to happen grew with each passing day. The temperature had dropped constantly the past few days, and there were hints of a snowstorm approaching. It may even hit any hour by now.

A snowstorm at this early time, it was only the end of November, meant they would probably face a very hard winter, which wasn’t very reassuring. Madara was just glad that he put priority on gathering supplies to feed his clan. If everything goes well, then at the same time next year any repairing will be already done, and no one will be forced to leave their homes or share them with others.

Not that there were any complaints. Madara himself housed his cousins, Hikaku and Sango with their nephew Kagami, who normally lived in the house next to them. And neither he nor his siblings would ever push them away. Despite that, they also had two spare rooms to share since Madara’s older siblings didn’t need them anymore.

Anyway, nothing was perfect, but he was still proud of the results. And the best thing is, these three weeks have already had a big positive impact. The only problem was the lack of a responsive on Hashirama’s side. So far there had been no complaints when the news spread about Madara having offered a ceasefire to the Senju. But his clan members got nervous with each passing day without an answer, wondering why the Senju clan head hasn’t accepted yet after all the years of almost begging Madara to accept peace.

And then there was also Izuna, who was still mad and avoided Madara and Tajima like the plague. He didn't even eat with them, which would be rare enough considering that Izuna was taking one mission after another. And Madara let him. He loved his brother, but Madara couldn’t deny that he couldn’t stand his brother and his constant lamenting about the Senju at the moment. So, he saw nothing wrong with sending his brother on one mission after another, at least as long as there were no signs of Izuna needing a break. Which there hadn’t been and now he wouldn’t need to look, because everyone out was meant to return within the next few days and wouldn’t leave for quite a while.

Currently, his only worry was if they might manage it through the snowstorm without getting lost. Madara was a formidable sensor, but his range had its limits. Two miles, in each direction, that was all. It wasn’t even close to reach the border, less what was outside of it.

Rumors said that Senju Tobirama was a natural sensor and could even sense as far as the Senju border went. Madara was almost sure it was even further, since he was long gone when Madara found Kagami with the clone.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door, and called, “Come in, Hikaku.”

“Madara-sama. I’m sorry for the interruption, but we finally received a letter from the Senju.”, Hikaku said while stepping in and towards Madara with said letter in hand. Madara peaked up at that and snapped the letter out of Hikaku’s hand as soon as he was close enough to do so. Within seconds the letter was ripped open and Madara eagerly read through the lines.

Hikaku waited and observed Madara patiently, and he knew immediately what it meant when a smile appeared on Madara’s face. Though, he asked anyway.

“And?”

“Well, first of all, Tobirama has woken up and is recovering.”

“That’s good. I assume they didn’t elaborate how his condition is exactly?”

“No. And I didn’t expect them to do so. However, given the wounds he sustained and the fact that it took him three weeks to wake up, we can assume that it will take some time for him to fully heal."

“That’s true. So, what about the ceasefire?”

“It is as Hashirama already mentioned. They have a few conditions. Which are, that both clans stay away from each other territory, children that may accidentally cross the border are meant to send back immediately and unharmed. Should a member of one party break a rule then it’ll be investigated first before an end to the ceasefire is declared. I guess, it’s meant as a precaution should there be a few individuals purposely try to end the ceasefire.”

“Hm. It’ll be our as well as Hashirama-sama’s and, I guess, Touka-sama’s responsibility to keep everyone in check. But I remember that he also mentioned that each clan can see fit how to handle any trespasser?”

“Yes. But here it says that any individual should be captured first and foremost. Which makes sense, if they want an investigation. That means if a Senju is found within our land, we have the right to capture them.”

“And what if they are hunting one of our clan members, or worst killing them?” Madara read through the lines before answering.

“Then we can kill them.”, he said bluntly.

“That sounds he won’t back their actions, which means it’d be an individual that purposely tries to end the ceasefire without their clan’s approval.”

“Correct. We will handle it the same way, should an Uchiha invade Senju territory. The rules are clear enough for everyone to understand.”

“What happens if one of ours is forced to enter Senju territory, like in case an enemy from another clan is chasing them and there is no other way to escape them?”

“Hashirama has a close eye on his border. He will know if that’s the case and…uhm…will support us.”

“Huh?”

“He will take care of the enemy.”

“Even if it’s someone from a clan he’s allied with?”

“He says, not to worry about it, because they have contracts with their allies that handle such issues. What happens outside of his border is not his business, which means he’ll not interfere.  However, he also says that we have to be careful that something like this isn’t happening too often or he might start thinking we let our enemies chase us on purpose on Senju territory.”

“Sounds reasonable. If it were the other way around, we would also become suspicious. However, since we aren’t able to monitor our entire territory like Hashirama-sama can, we shouldn’t even complain about it or demand any answers regarding those contracts.” Madara nodded in agreement.

“It’s more like an added nice gesture from Senju side. We will of course do the same should something like this occur on our border, even if it’s more likely that we won’t be aware if it happens. Like you said, we are incapable of monitoring our entire territory.”

There was a short pause in which both took a sip from their drinks. Then Hikaku continued, “So, what about missions? What if we meet any Senju or vice versa?”

“It’s a little harder to handle. But, he suggests that both parties use non-lethal force if possible. As he already said, he won’t accept any missions that might end with us in a fight, which shouldn’t happen in the first place when it becomes known that Uchiha and Senju have a cease fire. Still, there might be a mission where one party is hired to assassinate a target that might be protected by the other party. So, Hashirama suggests that the opponents try to incapacitate instead to go for the kill.”

“That means we have to trust each other.” Again, Madara nodded. He knew why he has chosen Hikaku to be his heir. His cousin was open-minded and saw the things as what they were. Izuna would probably have already listed dozens of things that contain the word betrayal.

“You can read it for yourself.” Madara handed the letter back to Hikaku and added. “However, for me, I can’t see any reason not to sign it.” Hikaku took his time to read the letter properly and could only agree with Madara when he reached the end.

“It’s very well worded and shows no signs of misleading or misunderstanding. You can say that it’s quite straight forward, so that even a child can understand it.”

“Yeah. And I think, it’s Tobirama who formulated it.” Hikaku’s head snapped up at that.

“Tobirama-sama?” He looked back at the letter but couldn’t quite catch why Madara thought it was Tobirama and not Hashirama that wrote the letter. The sound of a giggle made him look again at the head of his clan.

“You’ve never seen a letter written by Hashirama, have you?”

“If you put it like that then I might have indeed not. So, what is the difference exactly?”

“Mainly the type of handwriting. I haven’t seen any letters from Hashirama for quite a while, but when we met as children his handwriting was a mess. I’d barely read what he wrote. And I just can’t see how it might have turned into something like this. It’s very neat. I don’t think I have seen handwriting like this, not even among our own clan. I think the closest to this handwriting was a letter my father received from a seal master, years back.” At that Hikaku frowned.

“Do you think…”

“That Tobirama is a seal master?” Hikaku nodded. “No, but he has the potential to become one. Maybe he’s already learning fūinjutsu. It wouldn’t surprise me. It is like I told Izuna at the meeting after the battle. Whenever we meet, Tobirama comes up with some new techniques. I very much suspect he’s an inventor. And as such, he probably has a very curious mind. I even bet that his markings in his face are actually seals. For what I’m not sure, but my highest suspicion would be that he uses them to store chakra.”

“I see. That’s why you are worried he might best Izuna in battle someday.”

“Not someday Hikaku.”, the man’s eyes widen in surprise, “Here and now.”

“But. He’s just, what nineteen?”

“Seventeen. If I’m not mistaken, he turns eighteen in a few months. Which means he’s two years younger than Izuna and the same age at the twins.”

“Seventeen?”, Hikaku flinched, “I thought he’s at least as old as Izuna.”

Madara scoffed. “Yeah, well he isn’t. And that says everything. Not forgetting what it means for Haro. He practically raped a minor.”

“Oh kami.” Hikaku sat down in the chair across from Madara’s desk, processing the new information for a moment. “By the way, what do we do with Haro? Hashirama, or well Tobirama, didn’t mention him.”

“The incident with Haro has nothing to do with the ceasefire, not directly. But, it’s understandable that Hashirama expects him to be punished and I have every intention to do so, even if the victim would have been someone else. You know our laws. Haro won’t leave the compound anytime soon, and his chakra has been blocked. For all I care I’d like to castrate and kill him. But he’s still an Uchiha. We don’t kill our own kin.”

“Except they turn rouge or insane.”

“The latter is more likely than the first, it happened often enough, but I can’t remember if an Uchiha have ever gone rouge, but there is a first time for everything. Though, I hope it’ll never happen. An insane Uchiha is bad enough.”

“Well, most turn only insane if they lose their life mate, but we rarely met them. Many refuse to meet our eyes, especially in battle. And I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing. Can you imagine fighting an enemy who turns out to be your life mate in the next second?”

“Another reason to end the fights. I don’t even want to know how many of us might have killed their life mates without even knowing it. We could already have lost our own.”, Madara sighed and leaned his head back, looking at the ceiling, “Hikaku, why haven’t I accepted Hashirama’s offer two years ago? What it is exactly that it’s holding us back? Why are the elders and Izuna so insistent that we can’t trust the Senju?”

“Well, you know the answer to your first question already. Without the majority it’d have been pointless. And you can’t truly blame them for not wanting it. Hashirama-sama was just seventeen, if I’m not mistaken, when he became head of his clan. He’s also the son of Senju Butsuma who caused a lot of grief. No one knew him, not like you. And even if he screamed his intention over the entire battlefield, which by the way isn’t a proper way to ask for peace, he was an unknown. He still fought you. He still let his clan fight us. For which we can’t blame him either.” Hikaku titled his head, considering his next words.

“There is also the problem of the elders. It’s mainly them that’s holding you back…and…the clan. Hjouske and Yashiro in special. And you know how words can be used to manipulate people. Those two hate the Senju the most. And you will have your hand full when Yashiro returns and hears about the ceasefire. He’ll even be louder in his protests than Hjouske had been.”

“Yashiro. That little bastard. It was him who convinced father to send a squad out to hunt children. And I’m fairly sure that he had his part in killing Hashirama’s youngest brother.”

“I heard that Tajima-sama was quite shocked when he heard that Tobirama-sama saved the twins.”

“Shocked? That’s an understatement. He almost had a heart attack. He’s ridden in guilt. It might have been Yashiro who manipulated him, but it was still father who gave his permission. He locked himself away in his room for three days, just coming out to use the bathroom and get some food. Now he’s more determined than ever to knock some sense into his fellow elders and clan members. Yashiro won’t have an easy time. He might even find himself in a cell as soon as he returns.”

“Are we doing some clean up?”

“Maybe. Something is wrong with the clan. I can’t put my finger on it. But some are far too determined to continue the war. It’s like they are possessed or something.”

“Like Izuna?”

“Like Izuna. His only argument is that we can’t trust the Senju. Why can’t we trust them? ‘They killed our brothers. That’s all. What argument is this? Hashirama is telling us Tobirama saved the twins when he was just eight. But no, ‘he must be lying. We can’t trust him’. I tell him that it was Tobirama who saved little Kagami. ‘No, that can’t be true.’ That’s all what I get from him, Hikaku. He’s in complete denial. My only hope is that this ceasefire will show him enough proof that peace is possible between our clans. Otherwise, I have no idea what to do. I don’t expect him to love the Senju, hell, he doesn’t even have to trust them. But Hikaku…”, Madara looked at his cousin in half desperation, “…why isn’t he trusting me? His own brother.”

Hikaku swallowed. This wasn’t an answer he could give, because he didn’t know the answer. “I don’t know, Madara. I truly don’t. The only answer I can give you is that I trust you, and so does Sango and everyone else who supports you, even those who might still be doubtful. But as long as they aren’t completely against the ceasefire then those are the people who you can trust.”

“Trust. Everything turns back to this little word with so much meaning behind it. If trust is needed to have peace, then I’ll put my entire trust in Hashirama. And isn’t it telling? I don’t trust even my own clan.”

“That’s not true, and you know it. You have seen it. You see it with each passing day. We don’t even have an official ceasefire, but people see the change already. And seeing it gives you, us, hope. It also increases the trust in your clan, even if you might not think so for yourself. It’s not the clan you don’t trust, it’s the individuals that are against peace. And I think you aren’t alone in that. Hashirama-sama could easily feel the same.”

“Hashirama. He’s still trusting me, isn’t he. I feel like a fool. I better will not disappoint him.” Madara said with melancholy in his voice.

“Don’t agree to the ceasefire if you think you are doing it just in fear of disappointing your former friend if you don’t.” Tajima scolded, stepping into his son’s office. Madara half jumped and almost fell out of his chair.

“Father.”

“Madara. Stop thinking so much. Take one step after another. You already did the first, now comes the second. You already have people that are following your lead. And it will be more with each next step. Just focus on your goal. This time it’s your turn. You followed the clan’s will long enough, now start leading them. They either follow you or they will fall behind.”

“But, what…about…Izuna…” Madara could only stammer.

“Has to decide for himself what he wants. He isn’t a small child anymore. Neither is he the head of the clan. Your priority is the clan, not Izuna.”

“You want me to leave him behind?” Madara shook his head. “I can’t do that.”

“I haven’t said that. But, Madara, you can’t let him step in front of you, not any longer. I’d like to see him walk beside you with you deciding which way to go. But with his current mindset that won’t be possible. He’s drifting away from you. But that's up to him, not you. For years, you have listened to him, refused the Senju’s peace offer. Now, it’s time to try another way. It wouldn’t have been possible with Butsuma, but you know Hashirama. Will it be possible with him?”

Madara looked to the side, then back at his father. “Considering what we have done to his last remaining brother, he’s still determined to end the war. He accepted my apologies. He didn’t kill Haro when the idiot showed up and lied into his face. Though he was close to losing his temper for what I can’t blame him, because I almost lost mine as well. So yes, I’m confident that with Hashirama we can achieve what no one else achieved before.” Tajima nodded.

“Then so be it. You wanted this peace as much as he. So, you both will proof Senju and Uchiha that peace is possible.”

“And what if we fail?”

“How determined are you?” Tajima asked right back.

“Very. I want this to work.”

“Why? Because you fear Hashirama might destroy our clan? Because you fear that we might face someday a teenager that has the Sharingan? Because…”

“I want our clan to survive, yes. I want our children to grow up without fear of fighting for their lives whenever they set foot outside of their home. I want our clan to prosper. However, I’m not naive to think that peace with the Senju means that the fights will end, not completely. There will be still dangerous missions, clan members might not come back from. There will be still Shinobis, bloodline thieves, and other enemies that we can’t erase. But, we will be much more saver with the Senju as allies and vice versa. It will strengthen our alliances with the clans that aren’t in dispute with the Senju. Seriously, the only thing I can see is how much it’ll strengthen and serve our clan to see a better future for us and the generations after us.”

“Then you won’t fail. Nothing else matters.” Tajima said. Madara’s eyes switched to Hikaku who nodded in agreement.

“I guess.”, ‘Though I hope I won’t lose a brother in the process.’, went unsaid.

“I think you have to put your signature on some papers, Madara. Don’t waste your time with some old fools, like me. If whatever Hashirama sent is to your and your heir’s liking, then this shall be enough.”

“Are you sure?”

“Not able to stand against Hashirama, wasn’t the only reason why I passed on the title of clan head to you, son. You’re a clever man, so behave like one.”

“Uh. Sure father. If you say so.”

“Good. I’ll prepare lunch. I hope until I’m finished some papers are signed and on their way to the Senju.” Tajima left a stunned Madara and Hikaku to their own devices.

“Well, I have no complains. Everything that is written in the ceasefire sounds reasonable and applies to each clan equally.” Hikaku said after a minute of silence, turning back to Madara.

“Then, I guess, I take the advice of my father and just sign it before someone of the elder budges in.” Just to be sure, Madara read the ceasefire two more times before he signed it, sealed it with the Uchiha sigil, and sent it on its way with one of his Hawks.

When everything was done, both joined Tajima in the kitchen where the twins, Sango, Kagami, and to Madara’s surprise, Izuna, were already sitting and waiting. He hadn’t checked for his brother’s chakra the last thirty minutes, which would be enough time for Izuna to cover a distance of two miles.

“Izuna. I’m glad you’re back. I was worried you wouldn’t make it before the snowstorm hits.”

“I run faster to prevent it. I have no intention of freezing my ass off.”

Chapter Text

Tobirama was dozing in his nest, cuddled into the thick white fur blanket his mother once gifted him, together with a much smaller that he usually wore around his neck, and which he had hidden from Butsuma in fear he would take and burn it. Hashirama had also been gifted with fur that was orange with black lines.

She herself received the fur as a gift from her summons, one of the rarest that could ever be found, and who neither Tobirama nor his brothers ever met. They don’t even know which kind exactly they are, or where their mother has hidden her contract. Rumors said that Butsuma took the scroll after Arashi, that was the name of the summon, almost killed him. Which had happened shortly after Tobirama was born and was also the reason why his younger siblings hadn’t been gifted with fur.

Tobirama always wondered what Butsuma had done with the scroll, if he had burnt it. Regardless, Tobirama loved the fur. It was warm, very fluffy and smelled similar to the snowstorm that had raged for two days before slowly ebbing up, fresh and clear, though it also smelled like himself and Hashirama, who as promised, joined him each night and only left when he was sure Tobirama was fine.

The fur was Tobirama's only comfort when Hashirama forced and ordered him to lie down and stay there after working himself out so soon after his three-week coma. And Tobirama had to admit that his little trip to support his brother was more exhausting than he thought it would be, not to forget the hours in which they formulated the ceasefire and discussed the unknown seal put on him.

But that had happened four days ago, and Tobirama hoped his older brother would finally allow him to leave the nest for longer than just a few minutes. Only once did Tobirama stay out of bed longer than necessary, which immediately prompted Hashirama to use his Mokuton on his own little brother. It was so undignified to sit in his nest like a toddler in his crib with thick wood vines blocking his way out of it. With a pout, Tobirama had disappeared under his thick fur and stared with only his red eyes visible at his brother who stood unimpressed at the door frame with crossed arms, a snickering Touka right behind him.

Someone seemed to have heard his prayers when Hashirama opened the door with a wide smile on his face, announcing, “Otouto, come. It’s beautiful outside, it had finally stopped snowing, and I know you can’t wait to stretch yourself a little.”

‘Finally!’, Tobirama thought and almost jumped out of the nest. However, his first movement quickly reminded him of his wounds and so he carefully unwrapped himself from the fur and soft blankets and let his brother wrap him in a thick, soft and warm kimono. The kimono was Tobirama’s favorite, almost being completely blue with white flame like features on the hems, and a white dragon with red eyes on its back. It was a gift for his 16th birthday from Hashirama and Touka, a perfect gift that always kept the easily cold Tobirama, due to his chakra nature, warm.

In fact, all his clothes he got since Butsuma’s death were special made. His tabi (socks), kimonos, yukatas (a simpler form of a kimono), hakamas (similar to pants), even his undergarment inclusive his fundoshi (underwear) were made from softer wool that was less irritating for his sensitive skin. And it also included his Shinobi uniforms. His finer robes were even made from silk and Tobirama truly had wondered where his brother got all that money from. He even had protested when Hashirama presented him with such expensive clothes, in vain. He was glad it had been just two sets of a wardrobe especially made for the time they visited the Daimyo’s court.

“Here you are.” Hashirama put the smaller fur around Tobirama’s neck and gave him a once over before steering him out of the bedroom. Tobirama let his brother fuse over him like a mother hen, knowing it’d be pointless to protest the ministration. Not only was his omega pleased with all the attention he got, but it also calmed Hashirama’s alpha to the point that he returned to his usually annoying goofball self.

“We can sit on the engawa if you want, at least for a few minutes. It’s much too cold to be outside for a longer time, but some fresh air won’t hurt.”

“I can use some fresh air. You kept me long enough in my nest that I feared to grow moss.” Tobirama huffed. Opening the door Tobirama stepped outside to the sight of an snow-covered garden and frozen koi pond.

“Hard to imagine that we are only at the beginning of December.” Hashirama said, stepping next to Tobirama and closing the door. There were already two cushions prepared in which one Hashirama helped Tobirama to take a seat inside. “Let me know if you feel unwell. We have to be careful, or we risk you catching pneumonia.”

“I’m fine, Anija. Just let me enjoy it for a few minutes before we return inside.”

“I’m just saying. Touka is preparing some tea. She will join us if we are back inside.” Tobirama nodded before closing his eyes and taking his first careful deeper breath of fresh and clear air. And he felt immediately how his lung started to protest.

“Otouto?”

“Seems my lung doesn’t like the cold.” Tobirama coughed, his lung burning.

“Guess it wasn’t a good idea after all. Come.”

“No…just give me a sec…” Tobirama pleaded. Hashirama watched his brother fighting for some air before he’d get his breath under control again. It was painful to see his baby brother in such a fragile state, and he wanted nothing more than to wrap him into the thickest blankets they had and never let go of him.

The healers had warned him not to let Tobirama leave the house for more than a few minutes, preferably never until winter was over. But Hashirama knew that Tobirama would go insane if being kept and treated like a prisoner. Therefore, the compromise of letting him at least sit on the engawa for a short time so he’d get some fresh air.

A green glowing hand settled on Tobirama’s chest and the burning in his lung ebbed immediately. “Thanks, Anija.”, he rasped, leaning backwards to give better access and with a relieved expression. Hashirama put his other arm around Tobirama’s shoulder and pressed him against himself, which allowed him also to push his nose into silky white hair.

“Everything for you otouto.”

They stayed like that for five minutes and then moved into the living room where Touka was already sitting at the chabudai (low table) with tea ready to be served.

“You shouldn’t worry us so much, baby cousin.”

“I’m not a baby. And it’s not like I would do that on purpose.” Tobirama grunted.

“Are you sure? Because I think you like over exhausting yourself. The day after you woke up from your short coma is very much telling.”

“I think a ceasefire is reason enough not to waste time with sleep.”

“Hm. One or two more days wouldn’t have changed anything. We let the Uchiha wait for already two weeks, and they would have needed to wait longer if you haven’t woken up. Just admit, that you’re a workaholic.” Touka teased, flashing her white teeth.

“Tsk. As it’s something new.” Tobirama muttered into his tea.

“Exactly. And until you learn to take better care of yourself, you’re the baby in the house.”

“I’m pregnant. You remember? I’d kind a be weird for a baby to be pregnant.”

“Even more reason for you to grow up.”

“In which way you think I haven’t grown up, except of not seemingly be good in taking care of myself.”

“Ah. So, you admit it. Very good. It’s the first step in the right direction. Don’t worry. We will be there for each further step you take.”

“Touka.”, Tobirama drawled, “Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Being like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know very well what I mean.”

“Not really. Please, enlighten me.”

“Anija. Tell her to stop.” Hashirama blinked at the sudden use of his name. His gaze wandered from his brother to Touka and back again. Tobirama had a slight pout, which was cute, not that Hashirama would ever say something like that.

Then he started laughing, tears forming in the corner of his eyes. Tobirama, despite his adult attitude, behaved sometimes still like the child he was. And it was good. He couldn’t be more grateful to Touka for bringing out this side of his baby brother.

“What? Why are you laughing you goofball.” Tobirama narrowed his eyes, which didn’t stop his elder brother from laughing. He also noticed Touka snickering into her fisted hand. It’s like he was missing something, but by the best of his he couldn't figure out what was so funny.

After half a minute of watching the two, Tobirama just huffed, crossed his arms, and muttered a “Whatever” under his breath before turning his head to the side with an even more pronounced pout on his face. At this point, Hashirama completely lost it and laughed even wilder and louder as he rolled across the floor with his arms wrapped around his cramping stomach.

Even Touka was now openly laughing, causing a sweat drop to appear beside Tobirama’s twitching eye.

“Stop, Tobi, please. I can’t…my stomach hurts.” Hashirama pleaded, who couldn’t stop laughing whenever he sees Tobirama’s expression.

“You blame me? I don’t even know what’s so funny.”, came the bitten reply.

“Ah, Tobira. You’re just so cute.” Touka cooed and continued laughing.

“I’m not cute.” Tobirama sputtered in her direction, flustered. “You know what, I’ve better things to do. I’ll be in my lab.” He didn’t mean it as anything spiteful. Tobirama was very much aware of why they had so much fun and was glad to see his cousin and brother in a happy mood. However, he wanted to do something.

“What?”, stopping abruptly Hashirama looked at his brother like he lost his sanity. “Otouto, no experimenting.”

“Anija. There is nothing else for me to do. I can’t train, I can’t leave the house. I want at least to work on some of my seals and jutsus. Or, maybe find out what exactly this seal is.” He pointed with a finger on his abdomen. “It might be weeks or months until we hear anything from the Uzumaki.”

Hashirama bit on his lower lip. He was contemplating his response when Tobirama added, “I won’t do anything that might explode into my face. Just some research. On the other hand, I have a jutsu I’d like to try out.”

“No, definitely not.” Hashirama protested immediately, then took a deep breath. “Okay, listen Otouto. I know you are bored, and I know how much you like working on new jutsus and learning more about seals. So, I’ll allow you to do just that. But…”, he looked sternly at his brother with his hands on his knees. “No experimenting, not on your own. If you want to try out something that is less likely a risk to our home or more important to you, then you ask me or Touka. As much as I’d prefer that you don’t use any chakra at all. Maybe you can even let Touka or me try out a jutsu.”

“You’d do that?”

“Of course.” Hashirama crossed his arms, straightened his back, and gave a firm nod.          

“Thanks, Anija. I appreciate it. For now, I’ll just do some research. I’m sure you have a few things to do.”

“Just let us know if you need something. Touka or I will also call you if it’s time for any mealtime. And I expect that you’ll listen. No more working without a break.”

“Understood. See you later then.” Tobirama said goodbye with a nod and disappeared in the direction where his lab was located.

“Touka.”

“I know, I know. I have an eye on him. Just go.”

“I’ll be back later.” There were indeed a few things Hashirama had to do, like seeing if everyone got through the snowstorm without any problems. Almost everyone had stayed in their homes, having been supplied by a few Shinobi, Hashirama included, with food and wood, to keep their homes warm, each day. However, only now that the storm has passed were they able to see if any damage had happened. And it was Hashirama’s task to go through the reports and see what repairs might be needed.

----

“How bad is it?”

“Could be worse. Although, I fear that Hazuki’s and Rai’s homes won’t survive the winter. The roofs are short from collapsing.”

“I see. Tell them to save whatever they can. We have some spare storage rooms where they can put any furniture and other belongings. Repairing or rebuilding their homes will be priority as soon as winter is over.”

“Noted.” Hikaku scribbled down the note. He and Madara run through the damage reports that popped up after the snowstorm was over. Madara dreaded the winter. It was just the beginning of December and two of the houses that needed repairing are already in a state worse than before. To think that there are twenty more that might not survive gave him a headache.

“What about our clan members that were out on mission? Are there any reports?”

“Fumiko and Tayuki reported back. They have found refuge in one of the smaller villages. They will be back by tomorrow. You will be pleased to hear that Yashiro is stuck and won’t manage to return before another week has passed. Same goes for Setsuna. As you know, Izuna returned just in time before the storm hit. And three of the others arrived a few hours after it did. They are still in the healing room, but fine.”

“Good. It gives us one more week before Yashiro yells nonsense. What about our food storage? I hope nothing has been compromised.”

“No. We have been quick enough to secure everything of importance, food, medicine etc.”

“I see.” Madara put the reports away and looked at Hikaku. “I think we are prepared for the winter as best as we can.”

“I agree.”

“How is Kagami doing?” At the question, Hikaku stopped reading his current report and met Madara’s worried eyes.

“Nothing has changed. He barely is eating and refuses to speak. The nightmares haven’t subsided either.”

“His Sharingan?”

Hikaku shook his head. “It’s still blocked. I’m not worried about it. I’m more worried about his behavior, I mean besides what I already mentioned. It seems like he’s searching or waiting for something.”

“He lost his alpha father when he was kidnapped. Maybe he hasn’t processed it yet.”

“Maybe. On the other hand, I have the feeling it’s something else. I mean, he saw how his father had been killed. You said it yourself. It was the moment his Sharingan activated. And despite being just four-year-old, Kagami is smart enough to understand that his father isn’t coming back. No, his behavior, it reminds me of a lost puppy that searches for their mother.”

“I don’t understand. He never met his mother. She died in childbirth, and there hadn’t been any signs of him missing her or something before.”

“Exactly. Of course, I’d just imagine it. Maybe he’s truly waiting for his father to come back. Maybe it’s his nightmares. You more or less saw what he went through.”

“And still, you think we are missing something?”

“He seems better with you around. That’s why I think he’s not actually searching for his alpha father. And I noticed how he sniffed on Misaki-san a few times. She’s an omega. However, he’s quick to scrunch his nose and looks at her like she’s offending him, just to start whimpering and sobbing. And I saw it a few times with other omegas as well.”

Madara stared at Hikaku dumbfounded. “Hikaku. When did it start? The sniffing on omegas, I mean.”

“I think shortly after you brought him back. And there might have been one case where he actually growled at Haro? No, wait, I think Sango said he even bit Haro.”

“What? When?”

“Eh, Sango told me that she had just picked up Kagami from the healer rooms when they crossed Haro. Kagami had growled at him. Haro was laughing and stretched his arm out to ruffle Kagami’s hair. Before he’d touch him, Kagami bit into his hand.”

“Shit.” A hand covered half of Madara’s face, who seemed to have something in mind Hikaku couldn’t fathom yet.

“Madara-sama?”

“I think…”, Madara started slowly, “…I think Kagami is searching for the omega that saved him from his kidnappers.” There was a pregnant silence, where Hikaku could just stare at Madara in disbelief.

“You mean…Tobirama-sama?” He asked then flabbergasted.

“It’s a possibility. It’d have been hours since he saved little Kagami and before I found them. And Kagami was very reluctant to let go of his savior.”

“So, he imprinted on him as his omega mother? He didn’t even know the person that saved him.”

“He’d have done without knowing it. He was scared and mostly running on his instincts. It would explain why he bit Haro as well, who might have still smelled like…his victim. And Kagami might not have exactly liked it. Maybe something in Haro’s own scent give him away, so Kagami knew he did something to his adopted…mother.”

“And what if…what of Tobirama-sama?” Madara raised an eyebrow at the unspoken accusation.

“I very much doubt he encouraged Kagami in adopting him. I think Tobirama doesn’t even know that Kagami has claimed him as his newfound omega mother. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have handed Kagami over without a fight. Omegas are fierce protectors of their cubs, adopted or not, and especially if they just bonded. It’s very likely a one-sided bond. With luck, it’ll dwindle with time without causing any lasting damage, but if not…”

“Kagami might become seriously ill.” Hikaku run his hand through his hair. “What can we do?”

“Nothing, I fear. We can only watch and see if he’ll become better with time passing.”

“And if not? Will we watch him die a slow and painful death?”

“Let us hope that it’ll not come to it. I’m already starting to see him as my own pup. I won’t let him die.” Madara growled.

“Should we inform the Senju? Maybe…Maybe they are able to help? Maybe, Tobirama-sama could send us something…anything that smells like him. We’d see if your assumption is correct?”

“Hm. Actually, that’s not a very bad idea. Let us keep this to ourselves, at least until we know more. I’ll write a personal letter to Hashirama. I don’t dare to ask Tobirama himself. Sending us something that smells like him…it’s very personal, and he might not do that at all.” Slightly bashful, Madara tried to hide his blush behind his hand and turned his gaze to one side of the room, missing the slight twitch around Hikaku’s mouth.

When his gaze turned back to Hikaku there was nothing in his cousin’s expression that could betray his thought of amusement. After all, who could have thought that Madara might become embarrassed at a small piece of cloth that belongs to an enemy, well former enemy, who everyone had thought was a beta or even an alpha.

Maybe, it was also just the thought of asking his former friend about sending something that smells like his omega brother. Hikaku was only a beta, but he had observed alphas and omegas long enough to know that scent was something very important, especially in finding a mate.

So, who knew what Hashirama would think if he receives such a request. In the worst case, he might think that the Uchiha are trying out who might be best suited to mating his brother. It’d blow up right into their faces. Never underestimate a pack alpha who is determined to protect his pack and already on edge with a wounded pack member, that is also close family, in his care.

At the thought, Hikaku felt the need to say, “Madara-sama. I advise you to start first explaining the situation before asking for anything. As an alpha you probably can imagine how another would react to such a request without any further explanation in beforehand.”

“Indeed. I would probably burn the paper before I had read it to the end.” Madara sighed. “Let us wait for at least another couple of weeks. I don’t like the idea of Kagami suffering, but this is a very delicate matter. It’s better not to open a can of worms if it can be prevented.”

“Agreed.”

“By the way, how have everyone taken in the news? About the ceasefire I mean. Any complains yet?”

“Well, most are relieved that the Senju have accepted, but some aren’t very happy with the conditions of the ceasefire.”

“By the heavens, why not? It’s….” A knock on the door interrupted them. “What is it?” Madara called in annoyance. Slightly reluctantly, the door opened, revealing the nervous looking head of a guard.

“I’m sorry Madara-sama. But the elder council has called for you. They want to speak about the ceasefire.”

Madara groaned. “Let them know I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Yes, Sir.” The head disappeared quickly, and the door was closed again.

“I guess, I’ll find out what they have to complain about in just a few minutes.” Madara scoffed and stood from his seat.

“Seems so. Will you need me?”

“No. I can handle them on my own. Please finish the reports and let me know if there is anything else important, I need to know.”

“Yes, Madara-sama.” Madara could hear the relief in Hikaku’s voice and envied him for it. He dreaded already the discussion this is to come, knowing full well that the elders will complain about each condition the Senju set up.

“See you later.”

“Have fun.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Chapter Text

Two weeks passed and Kagami hadn’t gotten better. As feared, he became even worse and was suffering from a fever. Madara saw no other way as to send a letter to Hashirama.

----

Hashirama was kneeling next to his brother who was vomiting his guts out. Tobirama’s nausea had gotten worse the past weeks and he could barely keep anything he ate inside. Hashirama worried about his brother’s weight and general health. The outside wounds have healed quite nicely, leaving only some fade scars behind, but Tobirama’s ribs were still sore, and it would still take a while for his lung to stop burning with each inhale. Vomiting his guts wasn’t any help in the matter.

And in addition, Tobirama lost enough weight to show his bones. It reminded Hashirama at times he didn’t wish to remember. His brother was always slimmer than him, which made it even more noticeable when he lost weight. His clothes hung from his form like they were four times bigger than appropriate.

Currently, Tobirama was wearing his blue sleeping Yukata, that was open in the front, and some lose grey pants, that were only held in place by strings.

When nothing else came out, Tobirama leaned back against his brother’s chest with a grown. With closed eyes he felt two hands being placed on himself, one on his forehead and the other on his bare abdomen before soothing chakra flooded his system.

“Otouto.”

“Anija. I can’t eat, not yet.”

“I know. But, maybe some tea? You need at least something in your stomach. Maybe some fennel tea? The healers said it should help with nausea. Or peppermint tea. I think someone said chamomile tea would also work.”

“I go with peppermint.” Hashirama raised his eyebrows.

“You don’t like peppermint.”

“Well, apparently, I like it now.”

“Okay. Let us change you into some proper clothes and then you can wait in the living room while I’m preparing the tea.”

“Hm.” Hashirama didn’t even ask before slithering his arms under Tobirama’s knees and back to pick him up. His little brother didn’t even protest, which alone was reason enough to be worried. And one more time Hashirama was reminded of how thin Tobirama was, because he weighed almost nothing. That wouldn’t do. They needed to find a way to get more food into Tobirama without him spitting it out the next moment.

For two hours they sat in the living room with filled teacups and some clan reports spread on the low table, when Tobirama interrupted the comfortable silence. “They took it better as I thought they would.”

“Hm?”

“The Uchiha, I mean. I thought there would be some protests.”

“You underestimate Madara, little brother. He wants that peace as much as I do.”

“And yet he refused you every time you asked for peace.”

“Yes. And I understand why he did it. Partly I must blame myself for it too. I shouldn’t have used the battlefield to call for peace. I can see that now.”

“Hmpf.”

“Come on, let’s not dwell on it. We have our ceasefire now. Is it important that they have been no protests?”

“Not really. I’m just wondering. You said it yourself. Over a month ago they were still blurting that our clans would never be friends or whatever. And then they are asking for a ceasefire and accept our conditions in signing without any hesitation. I don’t mean to complain about it, Anija, it’s just weird.”

“Hm. We probably might never understand how an Uchiha mind is working. I’m just glad that we finally are on the right paths.”

“I guess.” Tobirama nibbled at a piece of rice cracker, the only thing he seemed to stomach in the moment. “Say Anija, about the village. Have you actually thought of how we will build it?”

“Huh?” With a questioning gaze Hashirama looked at his brother.

“I thought so. Wait a second. I’ll be right back.” With a puzzled look Hashirama watched his brother disappear and reappear with a stack of papers.

“Here. Take a look and tell me what you think.” Hashirama accepted the papers and were slowly reading through them. His eyes were widening with each paper he read.

“Otouto. Is that…did you plan out an entire village system on your own?”

“Well, I tried. Not sure if it’ll work. My only sources were a few books and two or three craftsmen I met on missions.”

“Don’t let it sound like it’s nothing. This is great Otouto. When did you start?”

“Er. I here and there wrote a few things down when you first mentioned your dream of a village, but I only truly started with planning when you became the clan head. I didn’t want risking Butsuma finding out about my little side project.” Before he had a chance to brace himself, Tobirama laid flat on his back with a crying Hashirama lying half on top of him, rubbing his wet cheeks into Tobirama’s hair.

“You’re the best brother.” A little awkwardly, Tobirama patted his brother’s back before another wave of nausea hit him.

“Anija. Please, let go. I think I need to puke.” Hashirama was quick to let go, and helped his brother to sit up, who looked slightly pale and with hand covering his mouth. Not willing to lose the little content in his stomach, Tobirama took some swallowed breathes while Hashirama tried to help to sooth his upset stomach with his Iryōjutsu. Luckily, it worked this time and Tobirama sighed in relief when the nausea subsided.

“Sorry, Tobi. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s all right brother. Just be a little gentler next time you want to hug me out of nowhere.”

“No promises, but I’ll try my best until you’re no longer pregnant.”

“I guess that’s all I can ask for.”

“Hashirama, Tobirama. Is it save to come in?”

“Of course it is, Touka. What are you implying?”

“Nothing.” Their cousin slid the Shoji (sliding door) open that led to the garden and stepped in with a sheepish grin and a letter in her hand.

“What’s with your grin?”

“Again, nothing.”

“I don’t believe you.” Tobirama scoffed.

“Ah, Tobira. Don’t be like that. I just didn’t want to disturb you two.”

“You sound like we did anything improper. We are brothers. So, stop thinking about what you are thinking. That’s disgusting.” Tobirama scrunched his nose in said disgust.

“Spoilsport. Here. That arrived just a few minutes ago.” She handed the letter to Hashirama and sat across the other two taking one of the rice crackers while Tobirama was rearranging his kimono. Both looked at Hashirama when his chakra began to spike.

“Anija?”

“It’s a letter from Madara. He’s asking if we may send something that smells like you?”

“What? Why?” Tobirama snapped the letter from his brother’s hand who didn’t protest and quickly read over the lines.

“Come on. Don’t let me out of the loop. What’s going on?” Touka asked impatiently.

“Seems the boy I rescued over two months ago is very ill. He refuses to eat, and he developed a fever.”

“And?”

“They think he might have accidentally imprinted on me as his omega mother. Therefore, they are asking for some piece of cloth or whatever I might be comfortable to depart with to see if their theory is correct.”

“They aren’t sure?”

“It seems so. He’d just suffer from the loss of his alpha father, or suffer from a cold, maybe a mix of both. But…”, Tobirama paused for a moment to think back to the night when he rescued the little Uchiha, “…it could be possible. He was too small and weak to walk on his own, less to keep up when I decided to bring him and the other two kids back to their respective clans. I was holding him close enough for him to have access to my scent gland on my neck the entire time. Though I’m not sure if my scent was strong enough for him to adopt me as his mother.”

“Weren’t you wearing scent blockers?”

“Yes, but they could have started to wear off. And you know that the smell is strongest on the scent gland. With him being so close…It’s possible my own instinct kicked in and tried to use my scent to calm the children down. The other two may not have noticed, because they weren’t anywhere near my throat, but that little guy was. So. It’d be.”

“I still don’t understand. Why does he need something from you? Even if his alpha father died, they could use something from him.”

“Hm. If I understand this correct, his omega parent died at childbirth, so the little one never imprinted on an omega. Then his father died at the hand of those bloodline thieves. So, even if his mind hasn’t processed it, he knew instinctively that his father wasn’t coming back, which meant there wasn’t any parent left to which he could return. Then, there was me. I saved him. He must have liked my scent, deemed it safe and automatically latched on. I know it sounds a little farfetched, but most things are done instinctively. It’s like if you smell that I’m in distress and automatically change into protective alpha mode. You know what I mean?”

“Okay. And do you want to accept their request? What if it’s a trap?”

“For what?” Tobirama asked in bewilderment. “It’s just something with my scent on it.”

“Otouto.” Hashirama cut in, pinching the bridge of his nose like it was Tobirama who was the dumb one. Touka would almost have laughed at the face her baby cousin was making. There wasn’t much Tobirama was unaware of, and he was definitely the smart one in the family even among the entire clan, but it was clear that he doesn’t knew everything.

“Tobira…”, Hashirama started again, “…you don’t just send anything with your scent on to everyone who’s asking. Something like this is very private, and normally only done between two lovers or if you plan for an arranged marriage between two clans that aren’t living next to each other. Like when Butsuma decided to steal one of my yukatas with my rut scent still on it and sent it to Uzushiogakure. And before you’re asking, no, it’s not the same as people standing next to you and smelling your scent to read your mood.”

“Oh. You haven’t told me that. Have they ever answered?”

“They sent the Yukata right back with the message not to bother. Though I received another letter after Butsuma died. It had a seal inside which contained a handkerchief that bore the scent of Uzushio’s second princess, Princess Uzumaki Mito.”

“Don’t tell me you’re engaged?” Tobirama sputtered, which was a rare occurrence.

“No. I’m not engaged. Though, I liked her scent very much in fact. I wouldn’t go so far saying she’s my life mate, but I wouldn’t be opposed to a possible marriage with her. It’d also strengthen our alliance with them. However, I told her that I wouldn’t want to pull her into a war, and that I also would like to meet her first before agreeing to a possible marriage.”

“How thoughtful of you, cousin. How did she take it?” Touka said, while pouring tea in her cup.

“With grace. She fully agreed to my reasoning, because pulling her into a war means pulling her entire clan into it, and neither of us want that.” A soft smile appeared on Hashirama’s face before it disappeared again when he saw Tobirama’s slightly troubled face.

“Otouto? Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I’m sure Mito-hime is a very lovely person. Now that we are close to peace you can invite her, or maybe travel to Uzushio. Maybe they will even ask to visit because of the seal. I’m sure you two will get along just fine, especially if you’re life mates.” Tobirama stood a little stiffly, “If you’ll excuse me. I’ll search for some clothes you can send to the Uchiha. I see no issue of sending something when it means it’d help a pup. Despite the pup, I can’t imagine any Uchiha wanting to sniff at anything that belongs to me. They probably will just burn whatever I give them as soon as the pup doesn’t need it anymore.”

Hashirama and Touka watched him leaving and exchanged some worried looks when he was out of sight.

“Have I said something wrong?”

“I don’t think it’s what you said exactly, but the thought of another omega joining the pack. At the moment, he’s in a very vulnerable state. He had been assaulted, almost lost his life, is pregnant with a child, whose father is an asshole and from a clan that had been our enemy just a few weeks ago and might again become one in the future.” Hashirama opened his mouth to protest, but Touka pointed with a finger at him that meant she wasn’t done yet.

“Don’t deny it. There had been enough ceasefires between clans that didn’t last, including the Senju and Uchiha. So, as much as I hope it’ll last, we can’t be sure that it will. Which means, the Uchiha might try to steal the child from Tobira before it’d be old enough to face them in battle.” Hashirama titled his head, having to admit that his cousin had a point.

“In addition…”, his gaze settled back on Touka, who seems to have more to add. Considering they were talking about his baby brother, Hashirama listened closely, “…I think Tobirama is still fearing to lose the child. After all, it’s only an assumption if the seal is preventing a miscarriage. He himself said that it’s not connected with the child in some way. And deep down I think he also fears he might end like your mother, who died in childbirth. So, all in all, he’s fragile, uncertain, and even if he doesn’t show it, very terrified. And we both, especially you, are his only anchors. So, the thought of another omega that might steal your complete attention from him, is probably upsetting him in a way, even if he would never admit it.”

“Uhm. Maybe I’d have mentioned it before, but Mito isn’t an omega.”

“Huh? A beta then. Okay. That should be less of a problem.”

“No. Actually…she’s an alpha”, Hashirama scratched his cheek with a finger, somewhat embarrassed.  Seeing Touka’s expression, he added with a chuckle, “Yeah, I think she was as much as surprised as me or as you are right now. Alpha-alpha relationships aren’t very common, actually, they are very rare.”

“Well…”, Touka started slowly, slightly dragging the words out, “I guess in your case it makes even sense. What you need isn’t an omega that submits as soon as you get in a slight foul mood, but an alpha that can match your quite darker side and put it into its place.” Hashirama laughed at that.

“You’re probably right. Anyway. Both of us being alphas is also a reason why I want to meet her first. Even if there is the possibility of us being life mates, alpha-alpha relationships can be tricky. Like you put it I need someone that can match my alpha, be an equal, or otherwise I’d just search for an omega and be done with it. But beside Tobirama, I don’t think there is an omega that wouldn’t cower in fear of my power when unleashed and be able to look into my eyes after, even if we are mates. And I don’t want something like that. I don’t want a partner, no matter if omega, beta, or alpha, who is afraid of me.”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t want that either. Unfortunately, there are people who like their partners being submissive and afraid of them.” Hashirama’s expression turned dark.

“Mother was a very strong kunoichi, and an equal match to Butsuma despite her being an omega. I never truly understood why she married him. She could have done so much better. Anyway, you saw what happened to her as the years passed. I think Butsuma have just chosen her to break her, to turn her into a housewife whose only purpose it was to bear him strong pups. Which she did until she died in childbirth.”, Hashirama shook his head.

“No. I couldn’t live with myself if my partner would turn from someone strong into someone weak because of me. And as much as I know that there are omegas equally strong in will like many alphas, I don’t think they would stay like that for long with me as a partner. Once, just one time of unleashing my power, accidentally or not, could be enough to destroy their confidence, and with that their trust in me. It almost happened with Tobirama, and he’s a very strong-willed omega. Admittedly, he was just a child when it happened, but so was I. And I swore it would never happen again.”

“Yeah, I noticed that neither your scent nor your chakra outbursts are bothering him when you’re angry. It’s like he’s in a bubble while everyone else is trying not to piss themselves in fear. I wish you’d include me in that bubble. It’s annoying how my alpha wants to roll over and present our belly, even if we know you’re not angry at us.” Touka huffed, having leaned her head into the palm of her hand after placing her elbow on the low table.

“I’m sorry. I’m not sure how I do it exactly. It’s more instinct than anything else. Though I don’t think you’re as affected as others. After all, to put it into your words, you don’t piss yourself in fear when seeing me angry.” Hashirama snickered.

“Hm. You have a point. It’s more like a cold shower that sends shivers down my spine. Okay. Fine. I guess I must live with it. Maybe, it’s also just simply the fact that Tobirama is much closer to you in blood than I am. After all, he’s your little brother and I’m just your older cousin, who in addition is also an alpha, and not like your brother an omega. I guess, as long as you don’t direct your anger at him…”

“…which I won’t do ever again…”

“…Tobirama's omega will even interpret your angry scent as a sign of safety. For your chakra not affecting him as well, I go with my theory of him being in a bubble, created by your own chakra. And I bet any Dōjutsu user with the ability to see the flow of chakra will agree with me. And maybe that’s even the reason your scent isn’t affecting him, because your chakra is wrapping him up in a safety bubble, which means no matter how bitter your scent gets he’s safe. I mean, it’s no secret that your chakra reacts to your emotions. While for others only the scent changes depending on their mood, for you the chakra also reacts. The angrier you get the more chakra you release.”

“I know. Unfortunately, no matter what I try, I can’t control it, not completely. I can only dampen it to the point that no plants are breaking through the floor whenever I’m even a little bit angry.”

“Your control is good as it is, otherwise, certain people would be dead by now.” Hashirama huffed into his teacup, taking a few sips. Then he put the teacup back on the table with a sigh.

“You know my greatest fear was to become like Butsuma. Imagine what he might have done if he had the power of the Mokuton.”

“Bless any kami that he hadn’t, and that you aren’t him.”

“Touka.” His tone rang up some alerts in Touka’s mind and let her gaze to find his quickly. What she saw sent a shiver down her spine and let her heart beating faster.

“I fear I am not far away from being something worse than Butsuma. And to be completely honest, if I had lost Tobirama that day, I don’t know if I may have been able to control myself any longer. It was already bad when Butsuma had been close to stabbing Tobirama’s eyes out. This time, however, it was worse. Tobirama got stabbed. He was right there, bleeding out in my hands. Would he have died at that moment…Touka, no one would have survived.” Touka opened her mouth just to close it again, swallowing hard.

“You’re nothing like Butsuma, Anija. He was a cruel man and a warmonger. You are nothing like that. Yes, you can be very scary if you want to, but there is a difference between being cruel and just trying to protect your family. You are not loving hurting people, even if they might deserve it. It’s the reason why you spared that Uchiha who almost killed me.” Tobirama said as he entered the living room again, a blanket in hand.

“I’d have, if you’d died, Otouto. I’d feel my chakra boiling. I’d feel my control slowly slipping through my fingers.” Hashirama whispered, eyes tightly shut as if he was in pain. “I’d have killed them all, Senju as well as Uchiha, it wouldn’t have mattered.” Seeing his brother in such distress, Tobirama decided to swallow his pride and to let himself fall into his brother’s lap.

An "Oof" escaped Hashirama's mouth, but he quickly hugged his little brother and pulled him to his chest, burying his face into a pale neck and taking deep, calming breaths.

Tobirama shifted his position slightly so that his back was comfortable and completely against his brother's chest, without giving the impression of an attempt to escape. For a few minutes neither of them said anything. Even Touka remained from saying anything, though Tobirama could see the amusement in her eyes from how he must look right now. Anyone who doesn’t know them would think Tobirama is Hashirama’s omega wife, which was absolutely ridiculous. For those who know them, the view would remind them of older times, where Tobirama was still a toddler and often enough pulled into his brother’s lap, and that not just for giving comfort but just because Hashirama loved to have his baby brother there.

Of course, Butsuma didn’t like it and beat any kind of such behavior out of his sons, or at least he tried. They may have stopped showing their brotherly affection in the open, but behind closed doors, where no one could see them, Tobirama and Hashirama with later joined by Kawarama and Itama liked to cuddle and tell some fairy stories.

“If I wouldn’t know you, I’d think you are lovers.” Of course, Touka couldn’t keep her mouth shut for long, and received promptly an eye roll from Tobirama and a snicker from Hashirama.

“We aren’t doing anything what other alpha-omega siblings wouldn’t do as well when one needs comfort. What makes the whole scene inappropriate is only what your mind imagines in that tiny space of yours that you call a brain.”

“Ouch. That hurt, baby cousin of mine.” To emphasize her statement, Touka placed a hand over her heart and changed her expression to something slightly shocked and hurt. Again, Tobirama rolled his eyes at her over-dramatic acting.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever. What was that even about? Why does brother think he might even be worse than Butsuma? That’s utter nonsense.” He was fully aware that his brother was right there, and still, he asked his cousin, because he didn’t want Hashirama to become upset again by trying to explain why he thought so.

“Because he’s in idiot, of course.”

Hashirama tightened his grip on his brother while Tobirama hissed, "Touka," in a slightly scolding tone.

Touka sighed, annoyed. With a hand wave, she said, “Don’t shit your pants. I was just making fun.” There was a low growl coming from Hashirama this time, who smelled the increasing annoyance in his brother’s scent.

“Fine.”, Touka huffed, “First of all, your brother’s possible future wife is an alpha. So, there is no need to be jealous or whatever.”

“An alpha?”, Tobirama raised an eyebrow in confusion, “You mean Mito-hime is an alpha? Wait, what do you mean with no reason to be jealous. I’m not jealous. Why would I be?”

“Because you were clearly upset at the thought that there might be an omega waltzing into your home and stealing your brother. So, yeah. I’d call that jealous.”

“What a nonsense.”

“You can deny it as often as you want, but we all know the truth.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“You have no reason to be. As said, Mito-hime is an alpha, and as such she won’t replace you. So, your little omega head don’t need to worry.” Tobirama clenched his teeth. He didn’t want to admit it, but his cousin was right. The thought of having another omega in the pack, especially one that might be or become even closer to his brother as he was, let him almost whimper in distress. Hearing that Mito-hime was an Alpha was a balm for his soul that he hadn't known he truly needed.

Hashirama, whose nose was still pressed against his neck, whispered, “I’d never replace you, Otouto. Never. Even if Mito would be an omega and she would be my life mate, I’d not allow anything to come between us. You’ll always be my highest priority, no matter what.”

“Which exactly is the problem.” Touka cut in, having heard her cousin, and deemed it necessary to point out the actually main source of Hashirama’s fear. As much as the two brothers couldn’t look more differently, their identical stares that they were giving her were enough proof of their shared genetics.

“Before you start growling or yelling, just listen, will ya.” She huffed when neither of them reacted and just continued to stare at her. “Okay, where to start. Both your childhoods had been fucked up. As much as Butsuma loved you, if you can call it that, when you were born…”, she pointed at Hashirama, before moving her finger to Tobirama, “…as much as he hated you. The second gender of a child is unknown until they present, but there are studies that incline that you might recognize which gender someone will grow into by just observing the children.”

Again, her finger pointed at Hashirama, “You were always protective of your brothers, and you showed very early your traits of a natural leader, no matter how whiny you also have been and still are. Often enough you challenged Butsuma without fearing the consequences. You didn’t care if he beat you to a pulp as long as it meant your brothers were safe. You,…”, her finger switched back to Tobirama, “…my mother talked once with your mother and they both were of the opinion that you might be an omega.”

Both males raised their eyebrows simultaneously and in the same manner. Touka scoffed at seeing that before continuing, “I heard them speaking when Lady Senju visited us, and both were worried. But your mother in special feared what Butsuma might do should you truly be an omega. Luckily, he never suspected anything until you presented. And we know what happened then, so I won’t repeat it.” She scowled in her teacup before taking a bigger sip.

“How did they suspect I might be an omega?” Tobirama asked while Touka took another sip.

“Because of how you took care of your brothers, especially Kawarama and later Itama after your mother died and couldn’t do it. They were like your own pups and mother got more convinced with each day she saw you with them. I'm not sure if my assumption is correct, but Kawarama showed the characteristics of an alpha, while Itama might have become a beta. That would also explain why Hashi was more protective of you than of Kawa or Ita. Even if he hadn’t presented as an alpha yet, he might already have known instinctively what you’d become.”

“Hm, because we were siblings?”

“Maybe.”, said Touka shrugging, “All of it is just an assumption, though your mother and mine had been right. Omegas, betas and alphas have specific traits, so it isn’t too farfetched that observing can give you a very good hint as what a child will present, even if it’s not a 100% certain thing.”

“Interesting. I never thought about it like that. So, if I’d have to make an assumption then I’d guess that Akane might present as an omega, Reiko as a beta and Shinji as an alpha.”

“That would be my guess as well, yes. Shinji is already ten. So, it shouldn’t be long for him to present. For the other two we still must wait another year or two. Not that it matters in the end. Or at least, it shouldn’t. Parents shouldn’t care what second gender their kids grow into, neither would it be of any help if they try to raise them as something they might not be in the end.”

“Indeed not. But it’s interesting regardless.”

“That said. Let’s come back to the main topic. Why might Hashirama think he’d become someone worse than his father? Well simply put. Hashi’s alpha is so fixed on keeping his omega brother safe that it might turn him insane if he’s losing you. And an insane Hashirama…well…that would be indeed terrifying.”

“I don’t think I can follow. In which way it’d make you worse than Butsuma? Butsuma was a bastard and had no qualms of hurting people. He did it with a completely conscious mind and liked it. You are nothing like that.” Tobirama turned his head, so he’d look at his brother.

“If you go ever insane, then it means you’re feral with no conscious mind left behind, which I doubt will ever happen.”

“Oh Tobirama. You have no idea.” Hashirama laughed, though it wasn’t a happy sound. “You have no idea what monster is hiding in my mind. It’s just waiting for me to lose control and to come out playing.” Hashirama slightly lifted his head, just enough that he could give his brother a sidelong look that revealed alpha-red eyes.

Tobirama didn’t look away and stared right back. After a minute of silence, he said without any trace of judgement or fear, “I see. You’re a bigger bad ass alpha as I thought.” Hashirama chocked in surprise, having not expected something like that. The red slowly faded until only brown was left behind again.

“Anija. Don’t ever doubt yourself. You are a good man, and a great alpha. You kill only if you have to. You spared the man that assaulted me and almost killed me.”

“I’ll kill him if he’s trying to harm you again, ceasefire or not, peace treaty or not.”

“And? It’s nothing other alphas wouldn’t or aren’t doing as well. Even omegas kill to protect what is theirs. If you call yourself a monster, then everyone else is also one.”

“And what if you had died and I had killed everyone on sight, no matter if Senju or Uchiha?”

Tobirama shrugged, “I’d call them fools and greet them with a ‘You’d have run as soon as the guy stabbed me, idiots.’ in the pure lands. Truly, Anija, it happens often enough that an alpha turns feral when a family member is killed in front of them. Considering that I am also your last brother, which isn’t a secret, it’d come with no surprise. Why do you think I hold myself back in my fights with Izuna? Do you think I want to see an Uchiha Madara turning feral? Even you might get in trouble to subdued him.”

“Huh?” Both Touka and Hashirama snapped their heads up and looked at Tobirama incredulously.

“Wait a second. I thought you held back because you didn’t want to destroy any chance of making peace with them.” Slightly ashamed, Tobirama looked down in his lap.

“Anija. I…I’m not a good person. Izuna is a very good warrior. No one should be underestimated. More than once, he was close to getting me off-guard. Why else do you think I’m inventing new jutsus. I need to be ahead of him. And should it ever had come to the point where it’s either me or him, I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill him, even if it had meant to receive your wrath or seeing you disappointed about my decision.”

“Oh.” Hashirama considered the words for a moment, imagine the case where it’d have been Izuna instead of Tobirama who got fatally injured or killed on the spot. Would he have been disappointed? Would he have blamed his brother for destroying their chance of peace? Inwardly, his alpha huffed and he’d only agree, remembering the meeting with some of the Uchiha that included the little alpha brat over a month ago.

“Otouto, you have my full support if you kill him now or any other Uchiha in case they’re a threat to you. I can’t truly say how I’d have reacted if you have killed him at some point. Maybe I’d have been indeed disappointed, but I can’t see myself giving you such a look. I tried long enough to convince them to stop the fight. So why should I blame you for keeping yourself alive, while they again and again refused to end the killing.” He pressed Tobirama a little closer against his chest, still mindful of the sore ribs he was still suffering from and sniffed fondly through Tobirama’s hair.

“And don’t say you aren’t a good person either. You saved children, no matter from which clan they were, including the Uchiha. Even now you’re willing to help one of them. No one else would care, but you do. And I have no doubt that you’ll be a great mother.” He put his hands on his brother’s still flat stomach.

“You two. You’re unbelievable.” Touka shook her head with a huff. “Are we done with all those who’s bad and who’s good nonsense?”

“If you don’t like it, you’d leave at any time. But yeah. We’re done.” Tobirama snorted while Hashirama snickered.

“Talking about helping a child. I choose one of my mission blankets. I won’t miss it should the Uchiha burn it later, but it’ll also be comfortable enough for the child to cuddle with it.” He lifted the black soft blanket from his lap and rubbed it against his scent gland.

Touka stood and accepted the folded blanket, “I’ll pack it up and send it on its way. The Uchiha bird should be still around, because it seemed to be waiting for an answer.”

“Thanks, Touka.” Hashirama mumbled, his face buried back in Tobirama’s hair, who had snatched one of the reports he hadn’t read yet before leaning back into his brother’s embrace.

----

Two days later they received another message from Madara that let them smile.

Chapter Text

Madara put a wet cloth on Kagami’s head. The little one was fighting a fever, and didn’t wake up once since it started.

After his discussion with Hikaku, both observed Kagami closely, and therefore witnessed how his condition got worse with each passing day.

Before the kidnapping, Kagami was usually a very active and chattery child, but since his return he turned more and more quiet until he stopped speaking completely. And what was even worse, he refused to eat anything they offered him, even Madara’s self-made cooking, Kagami refused, which was alarming in its own way. He loved Madara’s cooking.

Unfortunately, all of it was topped as Madara found Kagami in his bed, completely soaked in sweet and unable to wake up. Without hesitation Madara had picked him up and brought him to the healers, who since then tried their best to break the fever, in vain.

So, after two days of trying everything their mind came up with, Madara decided to send a letter to the Senju. It was their last option left, and Madara refused not giving it a try. Kagami was more important than his pride. If his theory was correct, then this is Kagami’s last chance to survive, because the healers already warned them that he won’t last much longer if the fever isn’t breaking within the next day. And that was only an hour ago.

Madara and Hikaku had exchanged a glance and nodded at each other. The letter had been already prepared just in case and was ready to be sent on its way at any time. With a prayer on his lips, he watched the hawk disappearing in the distance before walking back and joining his cousin, Sango, again, who refused to leave Kagami’s side.

They hadn’t told Sango about the possibility that Kagami imprinted on the Senju and therefore was suffering from separation-syndrome. The general assumption is that Kagami is suffering from the loss of his father, which isn’t incorrect, but usually when both parents are dead, the pup is quickly adopted by the closest relatives and suffers less from the severed parent-child bond, or not at all, because a new bond is formed. They still suffer from loss, of course, but only emotionally not physically, like Kagami is doing now.

And that should have been already gave them a clue that something might be wrong, because Kagami didn’t imprint on anyone after he was brought back. That should have been their first warning sign. And yet, they either ignored it or didn’t realize it at all because Kagami was almost every time in someone’s arms and cuddling. And yet, there was a difference in having a parent-child bond or just being close with someone. At that goes for all bonds existing.

When siblings are very close, especially if they are omega and alpha, then their bond can easily be mistaken as a bond between mates. There was one time when he and Misaki had visited a nearby village, where people thought they are mates. Admittedly, they had been on a mission at the time, but everyone with sharp eyes could have realized they were just acting, because there was one important difference between a sibling bond and a mate bond. And that was the sexual attraction. Subtly gestures that only mates would do, like touching each other at places no other would dare to touch without permission, even a sibling.

Then there was also the fact that mates smelled different. While an alpha tended to mark their siblings or pack members by rubbing their scent all over them in means of protection and affiliation, it was something else when marking, claiming a mate. When an alpha claims a mate, they would bite into their scent gland and introduce a set of proteins to the other’s system through their saliva. With each bite, more and more of those proteins would mingle and cause a change in the other’s scent, which unfortunately had the nasty side effect that it makes it almost impossible to survive should one of them die in case both claimed each other.

Which is also the reason why most decide that only one, typically the alpha, will bite the other. In times of war there would simply be too many victims who would not die in battle but due to the loss of their partner, which would be a catastrophe for the clan. Additionally, it’d also mean to leave their pups parentless and in worst case means the death of them as well if there is no other able to take them in.

And that’s exactly what Kagami is going through now. Both his parents are dead and the omega he most likely has imprinted on is out of reach, so that his little brain thinks they had been abandoned. Which means, the only thing that might stop his death could be anything that has the fresh scent of the omega on it.

Of course, they tried Kagami’s father’s clothes as well, and it had worked the first few weeks after the kidnapping, but the scent has now completely faded, and Kagami knew his father wasn’t coming back.

And that also meant that they must ask the Senju for more clothes or items should their plan work. That was if they send something in the first place. Madara was fully aware of what he was asking for and what it’d imply, but he had truly no choice. And he hoped Hashirama, and his brother don’t interpret too much into it. It was only for Kagami, nothing more.

There was a sudden surge of chakra emanating from Hikaku, who was fast approaching, and it immediately let Madara tense up in anticipation. Since Madara sent the letter, Hikaku had been pacing outside, waiting impatiently for Madara's hawk messenger to return.

So, for Hikaku reaching out to Madara meant the Senju received their message and sent an answer. Now, the only question was whether it was positive or negative.

And the answer was a positive one, because Hikaku quietly entered the room with a small package in hand.

Madara refrained from getting his hope up, because there was still the chance that it wouldn’t work. Carefully, he took the package from Hikaku’s hand and unwrapped it, revealing a simple black blanket. Madara guessed it must be one of Tobirama’s mission blankets. Every Shinobi had at least one, but omegas in special.

The blanket was soft and to his own surprise smelled very good, more than good even. It smelled like heaven. He must have been blacked out for a moment, because in the next moment he heard someone calling his name while shaking his shoulder.

When his vision focused back, he saw Sango’s bewildered and Hikaku’s slightly worried expression. And then Madara’s own eyes widen when he realized that he was holding the blanket against his nose. Caught up as he was, Madara quickly removed the blanket from his face and pushed it under Kagami’s own nose, ignoring his cousins’ questioning stares for the moment.

Kagami’s reaction followed promptly after taking the first sniff, and there was no way in denying that they had been right. The boy had imprinted Senju Tobirama as his omega mother.

The boy let out a soft whimper and, even though he wasn't awake, he moved his little hands to the blanket and clutched it tightly.

That was…good. He and his cousins forgot his own reaction when smelling that scent of fresh rain during a summer storm, completely focused on the tiny boy whose breathing became more even with each inhale and his body relaxing.

“Madara-sama? What’s…going on. From where you have got the blanket?” Madara lifted his eyes, but Sango wasn’t looking at him, instead still watching Kagami and slightly frowning at the blanket that was covering half his face.

“I wasn’t sure, therefore I or better we decided not to tell anyone.” Now it was on her to lift her eyes meeting his and then those of her younger brother. It was dawning on her what was happening.

“Who?” She whispered.

“Senju Tobirama.” Hikaku answered, not removing his eyes from hers. She let out a slight chocked whimper before one of her hands landed in Kagami’s hair, carefully removing some strands from his forehead.

“I guess, we now owe him another life debt for rescuing Kagami a second time.”

“He isn’t safe yet, but yes, I guess we do. And even more than that if what Hashirama-sama said is true. And who knows how many more of our children he might have saved over the years without anyone knowing.” Hikaku said and then turned his gaze to Madara, who was staring into nothing, mind reeling on how he’d ever pay the man they all thought was a demon.

“Madara-sama. We’d wait before saying anything to anyone. Let us see if Kagami gets truly better before breaking the news. Maybe we shouldn’t say anything at all. Everything is happening very fast right now. The clan needs time to adjust. If we tell them that one of our children has imprinted on a Senju…”, Hikaku shook his head, “…Yashiro will use and twist it to his own advantage. He already accused Tobirama of trying to steal Kagami, that Tobirama hadn’t planned to bring him back in the first place. That he killed the Hagoromo just because he wanted the children, or Kagami, for himself. And he’ll take this to prove his point.”

Madara gritted his teeth, “Yeah. I wish he was still stuck wherever it had been. Luckily, his words fell mostly on deaf ears.”

“He still reached enough, though, to become a problem later.” Sango huffed annoyed.

“Anyway, we can’t keep it a secret for long. As soon as Kagami gets better people will ask questions. His condition was bad enough for the healers to give up on him. When they see the blanket and how Kagami hangs on it, they will come to the same conclusion as us. And I’d prefer the explanation comes from me before any false rumors can spread.”

“Give it a week.” Sango suggested. “You’re both right. Yashiro will use it, but we won’t be able to hide this information. I also suggest you talk with the twins. Izuya and Misaki are great healers, and they will be able to help you to explain the situation. Since you told them about Tobirama saving them, they are eager to meet him one day.”

“Indeed. Okay. In a week I’ll call for another meeting with the clan elders and explain it to them.” Madara stood, and added, “I’ll speak to Misaki and Izuya, but I’ll also inform father and Izuna. We’re living under one roof, after all, and Izuna is as worried as we are. He likes Kagami. I don’t want to keep this from him. And father can also help to keep the elders in check when I inform them in a week. And Izuya and Misaki I need anyway to observe Kagami’s condition the next days.” The other two nodded before talking quietly to each other while Madara left.

----

Madara found Izuna and Tajima outside in the garden, sparing. Misaki was watching them. There was no trace of Izuya, who Madara could feel still being with the other healers in the healing facility.

He joined his younger sister on the engawa and watched his brother and father fighting for several minutes until Misaki asked quietly, “How is Kagami?”

“Alive. And there is something I want to speak about with you, all of you.” Tajima and Izuna stopped and turned their full attention to Madara, having heard him.

“What is it, Madara? Has Kagami’s condition worsened?”, Tajima asked worried, and relaxed when he received a shaking head as a response.

“Inside. What I’ve to tell you needs to be discussed where no one else might overhear us. It won’t be a secret forever, don’t worry. But for now, it’s a private discussion and has nothing to do with the clan as a whole.”

“Okay. Do you want to wait until Izuya is back?”

“Yes. Call it a family matter. Hikaku and Sango know already about it, so they don’t need to be there.”

“I see. I guess it has something to do with Kagami?”

“Indeed.”

“Alright. Izuya should be back in another hour. Why don’t you two start to prepare some mid meal. Izuna and I will be sparring a little more in the meanwhile.”

“Sure. I…”

“Why don’t you let Madara join you instead?” Misaki cut in, and gave her older brother a smile, adding, “You’d use some time to let out your frustration.”

“I’m not frustrated.” Madara protested. “Well, not anymore, or maybe still a little, but…”

“Misaki is right. Come on, Madara. You need some exercise. The last days were trying. And I know it will do you good to let off some steam. Or else I might fear the next meeting with the elders will end with some of them burning.” Tajima snickered, while Madara huffed. Though, he didn’t hesitate to join them, knowing that his father was right.

All three refrained from using their Sharingan, mainly using Taijutsu and some fire jutsus.

For his age, Tajima was still more than capable of keeping up with his sons. At age 40, Tajima was far above the average age of a Shinobi, but it doesn’t mean he was any less dangerous. More the opposite. His experience from countless fights made him a terrifying opponent, even if he might lack strength.

Izuna wasn’t less of a terrifying opponent, but he was still young and therefore less experienced. Yes, he already fought in several battles, but so did others, including their enemies. That’s why it was important to never underestimate your opponent. One wrong move, one moment of distraction or hesitation could be enough to lose the fight or mean immediate death.

Madara knew there were opponents stronger than him, or at least one person he was sure about could best him if he’d ever decide to use his full strength against Madara.

Hashirama.

The thought of it sent a shiver down Madara’s spine and earned him promptly a kick into the side that was strong enough to push him several feet away from where he stood.

See? No distraction allowed or something like this happens. In his mind, he scolded himself before he readied himself to use the fireball jutsu, targeting it at Tajima who was fast approaching to land another hit.

The older man countered Madara with his own fireball but was forced to interrupt it when Izuna attacked him coming from the side. Madara ended his own jutsu as well and joined his brother. They kicked and threw several punches. There was no need to communicate to coordinate their attacks, both brothers in perfect sync to know what the other would do next.

Something they also learned from an early age. In battle there was no time for communication. Therefore, the better you got in fighting alone and in sync with others the better, especially with those people you’re often partnered up to battle an opponent.

They fought for almost two hours when Misaki informed them that Izuya was back. Madara, Izuna and Tajima took a quick turn to the bathroom and their respective rooms to put on some fresh clothes before they joined Izuya and Misaki in the living room.

Mid meal was already served as well as tea and Madara didn’t hesitate to get something into his stomach. The others didn’t hesitate either.

“I prepared some soup as well and visited little Kagami.” Misaki said after everyone had some food on their plates. Madara looked up and met his sister’s piercing eyes. “I can already guess what you want to discuss. Sango and Hikaku didn’t need to say anything. I understood the moment I saw the blanket.”

“Blanket? What do you mean? What’s going on?” Izuna asked, stopping in mid movement as he wanted to take a bite from his sashimi.

“What I’ll tell you now, you’ll very much not like. Therefore, I’d like for you to just listen until I’m done.” Madara said, eyes directed on his brother who groaned and put back his chopsticks.

“Fine. I promise I’ll listen. What happens after, I can’t promise anything, because I have the feeling whatever you’ll tell us involves the Senju, again.”

“That’s all I ask for. And yes, it involves the Senju. So, you know…”, and so Madara explained what had been wrong with Kagami, how he got his suspicion that it might have something to do with Senju Tobirama, and why he and Hikaku decided to wait until there was no other option to go through with their formed plan.

“Today in the morning I sent a private letter to Hashirama, explaining the situation and asking for something that smelled like his brother. Be assured that I was as polite as I’d be. We all know what it normally means if personal items are exchanged between two people from different clans. I explicit mentioned in my letter that whatever Tobirama sends will not be used to find a potential mate for him.” At least it wasn’t his intention, but when he took in the scent of the omega, Madara couldn’t deny that it triggered something inside him, he just couldn’t tell what exactly yet. Or maybe his alpha knew already and Madara himself was in denial that Senju Tobirama could be his mate. And it was something he wouldn’t share, not now and maybe never.

For a moment a picture formed in his mind of Tobirama holding a tiny baby with white hair and red eyes, a splitting image of the omega. Next to him stood five-year-old Kagami, one hand clutching Tobirama's kimono, and looking at the baby in the man’s arms. Madara shook his head to make the image disappear, but it was already burned into his memory. ‘Great, just great. One more thing I have to think about over the winter.’

A snort brought him out of his musing, and he looked at Izuna who sat with crossed arms and a slight disgusted look across from him. Though he didn’t say anything, yet. Madara cleared his throat with an awkward cough and continued, “As you can guess, we received positive response in form of a package instead of just a note to piss off. I opened it and Kagami, even unconscious, immediately clutched the blanket as soon as he got a good whiff of the scent on it. Which means…”

“…you were right with your assumption and Kagami indeed imprinted on that Senju demon. Great, just great.” Izuna cut in.

“It’s not his fault.”

“Tsk. What about this damn mess is not his fault? No matter what new stuff you’re coming up with it involves always that bastard.”

“Would you have liked it more if Kagami had died or worse sold into slavery?”

“Of course not. But I’d prefer it had been one of us who found him. It all started there after all. Wouldn’t he have interfered, Haro might never have encountered him. He would not have interfered in my fight with that demon.”

“If you want to go that way then you better start with the Hagoromo.” Izuya said, sipping on his tea.

“Yeah, Izuna-nii. If you want to blame someone then start with the clan that betrayed us, killed Kagami’s father and several others of our clan, and kidnapped him.” Misaki added, playing with one of her black strands while looking at Izuna in disapproval. “You know. All of it is indeed a mess, but I can’t see why you’d put blame on someone who did nothing else as rescue one of our own, and that twice now. Everything else that happened comes from decisions other people made. Haro decided to rape a Senju. Haro decided to interfere in your fight with said Senju to kill him, because he couldn’t do it after raping him. Hashirama-sama decided to not pester us with any more peace offers. Then it was Madara-nii deciding to reach out and offer a ceasefire.”

Misaki paused for a moment, watching her brother closely. She raised an eyebrow, and continued, “We don’t need to go into details again, but as you can see, your “rival” made only two decisions in that entire time. Firstly, deciding to rescue some children from the clutches of bloodline thieves, and secondly, to provide us with something that can save the same child he already saved once. Or would you prefer seeing Kagami dying? And by the way, it was Kagami who decided to imprint on Tobirama-sama, not the other way around. Something like this can’t be forced. Kagami must have truly felt safe and content when it happened, even when it was only unconscious.”

“And as much as you hate him Izuna-nii, which is your right, we can’t.” Izuya returned to speak. “I can’t remember much of the night when Misaki and I were almost killed, but I can remember a small figure interfering and saving us. And I still can remember the slight scent of rain.”

“Rain?” Madara asked, perking up at that.

“Yes, rain. It wasn’t very strong then, and I thought it was just because it might rain soon. However, when I came back, I went to Kagami’s room and immediately recognized the scent. Much stronger now, of course, but it’s still the same as what I smelled all these years ago.” Misaki nodded in agreement.

“It’s true. You don’t forget something like this. So, we’re sorry, but we can’t hate the one who saved us.”

“Don’t you care that he killed countless of our clan members? How can you not hate him?” Izuna almost snarled.

“It is how it is nii-san. Like said, if you want to hate him then no one will stop you. We accept it. But don’t force us to hate him as well.” Izuya said.

“It’s not that we love him either. Just let us say we want to stay neutral.” Misaki added. “We are fully aware of who he is, what he has done, and what he’s capable of. But we can’t just forget that all of this has been done while being at war with each other. Which makes it even more awesome that he actually cares to save children from enemy clans. Not even you would do that, would you?”

Izuna sighed, may it be from frustration or resignation, “No, I wouldn’t. And you very much made your point clear. Still, I don’t like it.”

“But you will have to live with it.” Izuya prompted.

“Yeah. As long as Kagami survives, I think I can live with it.”

“We still have to see if it’s enough for Kagami to recover. If he wakes up and realizes that the person he wants most isn’t actually there, then it’d push right back into the state he’s now.” Misaki explained.

“Might it help, if Senju Tobirama sends something written? I don’t dare to ask for a meeting. I doubt Hashirama would allow his brother out of the compound, and with the weather turning colder I wouldn’t want to risk either of them catching a cold. In Tobirama’s current state it’d mean his death. And that’s the same for Kagami.” Madara mused.

“We can certainly try. I assume you’ll inform them how Kagami reacted, right? And you also have to ask for a replacement with the blanket when the smell is fading again. I suggest weekly changes. To not waste any resources, we can send him the blanket back and just asked for another one and then repeat it. So, in the end Tobirama-sama will only need to share two items of his with us, maybe three. For the letters, I don’t know if they’ll have much of an impact, but should Tobirama-sama agree, then why not.”

“Which we’ll read in beforehand, right?” Izuna asked.

“Yes.” Madara replied. Seeing the look in Izuna’s face, he added, “I may trust the two brothers to a certain point, maybe even more than some of my own clan. But I won’t dismiss any concerns of you, Izuna. I can’t and I don’t want to force you to trust them blindly. This is something you must decide on your own. And if reading some letters helps you to come to a decision then so be it.”

“Okay.”

“Remember please to keep this information for yourself.” Madara emphasized, looking at all of them. “In a week’s time, should it be proven that Kagami is truly getting better, I’ll inform the elders about this new development.”

“Yashiro and Hjouske will use it to make further false claims.” Tajima cautioned.

“I know, but we can’t keep it as a secret. They will find out one way or another and I’d prefer it happens on my own terms.” Tajima nodded, knowing his son was right.

“I’d like to treat this as a family matter, but I know that’s easier said than done. So, let’s see how it goes.” Madara added after taking a sip from his tea.

----

Two days later, Madara sent a letter to the Senju, informing them that Kagami has woken up and that his fever had broken not long after receiving the blanket. He thanked Tobirama in special and asked carefully if he might be willing to send another blanket in a week’s time, promising that the other blanket will be returned. He also explained Misaki’s plan of exchanging the items every other week, so Tobirama didn’t need to depart with too much of his belongings. And he also added their idea of letters.

It took only a few hours to receive a positive response and much to Madara’s surprise there was already a short letter attached that was meant for Kagami. As promised Madara allowed Izuna to read the letter, who only gave a short grunt of approval before Madara handed it over to Kagami, who read it slowly in excitement.

Dear Kagami-kun,

I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I’m also sorry that because of my carelessness you suffered even more. The past two months must have been really trying to you. For this I sincerely apologize. I hope you can forgive me. I hope you will be better soon as well.

Yours sincerely,

Senju Tobirama

Little Kagami had been confused at first about why his savior was apologizing to him and found it even stupid after Sango explained it. And he wasn’t shy about letting his savior know about it.

So, the next time, Madara returned the blanket with a small note attached.

After the week passed, it was also time for informing the clan elders. Madara dreaded the meeting and was not looking forward to it, already knowing what was to come.

And not soon after he explained the situation, the accusations and insults began, and Madara just thought with a snort, ‘How unexpected’.

“That Senju demon manipulated one of our children to think he is their mother, and you even ask them for help to continue this farce? You’d have just waited for another few days and that abomination of a half-bond would have dissipated. Kagami would have been free and…”

“Kagami would have died, elder Yashiro.” Madara spat, interrupting the slimy man of an alpha.

“You don’t know that.”

“The healers said it themselves. One day longer without the fever breaking and Kagami wouldn’t be here any longer. So, I took the last option, which I was uncertain if it’d even work, to save a four-year-old child. I might have even done so if we haven’t been in a ceasefire with the Senju already.” Madara said bluntly. “And I don’t care what you think about it. Or no wait, I find it actually very concerning how little you seem to care about the well-being of our children.”

“Wouldn’t it have been for the Senju, then Kagami….”

“…would be dead. We already had a similar discussion. If you want to blame someone then blame the Hagoromo. They attacked us, they killed our people, they kidnapped Kagami. The entire situation we are in now started with that attack. And I can’t even say if I truly hate all of it, because we have a ceasefire with one of our greatest enemies, damn it. Alone, the month after the fateful battle should have shown you what advantage it brings with one less enemy on our doorsteps. We earned enough money to stock up our food stores, which wouldn’t have been possible with having half of our Shinobi staying back in the compound or running patrols on the Senju border.”

“Which was foolish. If the Senju would have attacked….”

“But they didn’t.” Madara half-yelled, already starting to lose his temper. “Nothing happened. Nothing. We didn’t even see them, except the one time where Hashirama worked on his border. But after that? We didn’t even run into them during our missions. There were no patrols, nothing. If I wouldn’t know better, I’d think they left and resettled somewhere else.”

That shut them up and gave Madara a moment to take in some deep breaths. “Let me make this clear. If I hear any more complains of you, any false rumors, I’ll remove you from this council.”

“How dare you.”

“I dare. I have enough. The terms of the ceasefire are clear, and it doesn’t involve anything that currently happens with Kagami. Senju Tobirama is helping us to keep an innocent child alive. And that’s it. And I remind you what will happen if any false rumors are spread. You want our clan to survive? Then stop attempting to drag it into another war. We have more than enough enemies.” Madara stood and stomped out of the council room, ignoring the calls for him to return.

Hikaku, Izuna and the twins were quick to follow. Outside, they heard Madara muttering some rude words under his breath. When they caught up with him, Izuya asked, “Madara?”

“Hrr.”

“Why didn’t you just remove Yashiro from the council? You’re the clan head. Isn’t it your choice who sits on the council and who doesn’t?”

“No, unfortunately it’s not that simple. I need the approval of the other council members if I want to add or remove someone. Otherwise, I’d have removed Yashiro and Hjouske already. And I bet same goes for father when he still was clan head.”

“Maybe you’d ask if the others still want them on the council. I think most are starting to doubt their choice of supporting them.”

“Hm. You’re sure?”

“I agree with Izuya. I’d seen the same.” Izuna cut in. He might not agree with being at peace with the Senju, but Izuna didn’t like those two elders either. He’d be glad if they would just die and give them some other kind of peace.

Chapter Text

Another month has passed, and the temperatures are constantly below zero now. The new year had started with another snowstorm that lasted for almost an entire week.

Much to Tobirama’s relief the nausea subsided as soon as he hit the three-month mark of his pregnancy and allowed him to eat more than just some tasteless rice crackers. Hashirama, too, was relieved, because Tobirama lost at least 6 pounds since the start of the pregnancy, which was far too much for his already slim stature. His bones were far too pronounced and his facial features even sharper than usual.

So, for the sake of himself and his brother and of course the baby, Tobirama ate as much as he could throughout the day. Never big meals, but several small ones so he wouldn’t puke his guts out, because of overeating.

After two weeks of his diet changing, his bones were already less pronounced, and he felt more alive than the past three months together. So much that he even started doing some small exercises, mainly stretch exercises and something simple that would build up his arm, leg and back muscles again.

Hashirama and Touka often joined him or just watched, having nothing else to do or wanted to keep an eye on him so he wouldn’t overdo it. Tobirama didn’t protest, knowing it’d be fall on deaf ears anyway and just let them, mother hens they were.

It wasn’t like he’d do any long exercises anyway. His rips might have healed nicely, but there was still the issue of his reduced lung capacity that let him more often than not be a panting mess after just twenty minutes of training. But Tobirama wouldn’t be Tobirama if he’d let this stop him. Like with his meals he did small exercises throughout the day and increased the time of each if there was no protest of his lung.

What hasn’t changed, however, where the time outside the warm house. Ten minutes were still the maximum before Hashirama would drag him back inside and Tobirama didn’t protest that either, knowing very well that catching a cold would put him back in his progress he made so far.

When he wasn’t exercising or reading reports, Tobirama sat in his small lab under the house and was either working on some of his new jutsus or on the seal that somebody put on him.

It had been very concerning for him why he hadn’t realized immediately that it was there. But the answer to his question had been a simple one. As long as the seal isn’t active it’d stay invisible on his abdomen and wouldn’t interfere with his chakra system. To activate the seal, you either put chakra into it on purpose or by triggering the event it was meant for. Tobirama still had no clue what it was. And that what he had in mind wasn’t very reassuring.

He doubted that the seal was placed to prevent him from miscarrying or else it’d have activated when he was stabbed and bleeding out. The healers and/or Hashirama would have noticed the seal as soon as he lay on the operating table. Of course, there was the possibility that Hashirama’s chakra prevented the seal from activating, because he was already trying to save the child, but he wouldn’t bet on it. And Tobirama certainly wouldn't induce a miscarriage just to see if the seal would react, no matter if his brother was around to interfere or not.

The next option could be that it’s just a kind of observation seal. Which isn’t much better. Whoever it was, might want to know when he’s going into labor and try to steal the child while Tobirama himself would be helpless. All they must do is create a distraction big enough that Hashirama cannot ignore it and thus protect his brother. Alone the thought that someone might come when he gives birth and steals his child before he can even hold it sends shivers down his spine. In any case, some precautions had to be taken, even if that wasn’t the purpose of the seal.

So, what other reasons might someone have to place a seal on Tobirama? What if the seal had been placed much earlier on him? He shook his head. In that case it must have happened when he was still a baby or toddler. There was no other time it could have happened, Tobirama was sure. And Butsuma wouldn’t have hidden something like this from him. He’d have explained with pleasure and in every small detail what torture was awaiting him, before letting Tobirama watch how it was placed.

But then, maybe it’d have been his mother? Maybe she placed the seal on him for protection? Maybe she knew what Butsuma planned for the case Tobirama turns out to be an omega? But then why did no one notice its activation when Butsuma forced the poison into Tobirama? Should it had stopped the poison before it’d do any damage? Or maybe there was some kind of fail safe? Maybe it activated much later, when it was safe, and nobody was looking.

Tobirama shook his head. In that case, he’d still have noticed that something was happening. Unless maybe it was only working when he was sleeping?

There were so many more questions, so many more possibilities that Tobirama didn’t even know where he should truly begin. So, his best option was to just decipher each of the fine layers of the seal and see what purpose they had. Which was easier said than done.

Then another idea struck while he was in his nest, covered under thick white fur and rubbing his still flat but slightly hardened belly.

Could it be? He never heard about a summoning contract written on someone’s skin, but what if his mother, in her desperation, did it? She wasn’t a seal master, but what if she hired one? And no one knew what happened with her summoning contract, even if there were some rumors about Butsuma having burned it. But that were just rumors.

For several weeks Tobirama worked on deciphering the seal, considering all options that had crossed his mind. And the more he researched the more certain he became that it was indeed a summoning contract, sealed into his skin and with a block around it.

The question was how to remove the block without doing any harm to himself. The easiest way would be to find the seal master who had done it, but no matter where he searched no documentation could be found, and he very much doubted his mother actually kept that information somewhere Butsuma may have found it. However, there must be someone who knows about it.

He asked his brother if he might remember something, even if the chance was slim, because Hashirama must have been just a little over two-and-a-half-year-old, maybe three. Much to Tobirama’s surprise his brother mentioned a night where he couldn’t find mother or him. Butsuma had been on a mission, and no one else had been in the house. It was the first time that his older brother got distraught enough that the event branded itself into his memories. It had been hours later when mother returned and found his eldest curled in the big fur of her nest, crying his little heart out.

Tobirama assumed that his mother must have seek out a seal master that night. Maybe she heard someone mentioning a seal master visiting one of the nearby villages or she set up a meeting in secret. The latter is more likely than the first, though it didn’t truly matter. 

Then they received a letter from Uzushio at the end of the first month of the new year that unfortunately didn’t confirm his assumption, not right away at least. They confirmed that it was a seal with a block and that it was meant to hide something, but they didn’t mention something about a summoning contract.  It also seemed that they had no idea who might have placed it.

Still, they made a few suggestions on how the block can be removed but warned them to try it out. Tobirama headed the warning and decided to wait until spring or summer then it was safe or at least safer to invite the Uzumaki for a visit. There was absolutely no need to risk blowing himself up when there was no danger in just waiting for some experts.

Though, Tobirama can admit he was crazy enough to have tried it when he wouldn’t have been pregnant. Sometimes he simply lacks instinct for self-preservation, which of course was the exact reason why Hashirama and Touka barely kept him out of their sight, especially now when he was pregnant.

----

Being now at a standstill with the puzzle of the mysterious seal, Tobirama turned his attention to his other jutsus. Spring would only start in a couple of months, and even then they couldn’t invite any seal master from Uzushio before they were back from their trip to the capitol city. Which meant he had plenty of time to work on some of them.

His shadow clone jutsu was almost complete. Even if he already used it, the amount of chakra it cost was still much too high to be useful in battle, or even for simpler tasks like assisting in taking care of reports. Sending them on dangerous missions to gather some intel was also out of the question, because they would disperse before they even reached the target due to the user not having enough chakra to keep them going for longer.

Tobirama already feared that this jutsu is one of those that not many will be able to perform, like most of his jutsus he created. And among them was one whose creation he even regretted: Edo Tensei.

A jutsu created out of despair and grief for the loss of his brothers, and because of Butsuma who had been adamant for Tobirama to perfect it when he saw his son trying to reanimate a stray cat. He’ll never forget the pleas or screams of the prisoners that had been used for his experiments. Even today he still had nightmares about what he was forced to do. And he was glad that Hashirama killed Butsuma before the jutsu was complete, though Tobirama knew exactly what was needed to summon a soul from the pure lands and to bind them to the living world.

It was a gruesome technique, not just because of the soul that was forced back and bound to the summoner, but because it also needed the sacrifice of a living being that is used to house the reincarnated soul. The only reason why Tobirama didn’t destroy his notes of that jutsu yet, was because he wanted to develop a counter jutsu. After all, if he was able to create it then someone else could as well, and he didn’t want to imagine how someone might someday summon him or worse his brother back to the living as just a puppet of mass destruction.

Now, he needed to find a way for the soul to free itself even if the summoner might be stronger than them. Which was far more difficult than the summoning itself, because Tobirama had no test subjects he could experiment on.

At the word summon, an idea struck him, however, and he was quick to write down some notes. Maybe finding out how the break of a summoner contract is working will help him to find a solution.

Being done with his biggest regret of a jutsu for the moment, he turned his attention to his other creations. The newest one was also a very tricky one, one that might help with overhauling the Sharingan and render it useless. Well, someone might say it’s no longer necessary, because they have a ceasefire now, but Tobirama saw so many more options that technique would give him in a fight, or even outside of one. In seconds he’d teleport to any places he marked in beforehand. He’d use it for quick escapes or emergency transport, although he must first check whether he can take anyone else with him. But he was confident that if he’s able to teleport himself that he’d do it with others as well.

Unfortunately, the Jutsu isn’t nearly ready yet for Tobirama to try it out, even if he wouldn’t be pregnant. So, the only thing he can do is continue working on the theoretically suspect while being pregnant.

Then there were several jutsus meant for medical purposes. One in special was more for himself, because since his birth he had bad eyes, which of course became only worse with Butsuma’s demands of Tobirama hiding his eyes. Now he barely saw anything and was almost complete with his face in his papers to read or write anything. It was only thanks to his sensor abilities that he wasn’t running into anything or could keep up in a fight, but unfortunately it requires the use of chakra, and like the last fight has shown, less chakra means you can less focus on your surroundings and lets you open for attacks from behind. Ok it wasn’t just that, because he was already feeling awful that day, but it played a big part of it. And in his current state he couldn’t effort to use much of his chakra either.

Therefore, he needed, wanted a permanent solution, not only for himself but also for those, with less chakra reserves, missing the needed chakra control, or in case of civilians, barely had any chakra. Not an easy task, because he needed to understand the inner workings of eyes and how they were connected to the brain, so he wouldn’t accidentally cause any damage. Becoming blind may be one thing in case of a mistake. But brain damage? That was a complete other mess he surely didn’t want to handle, should he even survive it.

Another Jutsu was meant to purify someone’s chakra system from any poison. He already had one version ready, but after the incident with the Hagoromo it was clear it needed some adjustments. He needed to find a way to stop the poison from spreading, which is difficult when it was already in your blood system. Though as a Suiton user, it’d be possible to extract the poison from the blood system or at least to slow down the blood flow long enough to get an antidote. Hm, the last wouldn’t be much of a help if you’re alone, and the first would also need a lot of concentration and chakra control.

And manipulating someone’s blood or more the water in their body? How terrifying would that be on a battlefield, and how useful. Imagine you’d just let your opponent bleed out without even touching them. Oh, that would be actually perfect for assassinations. You don’t even need to be close to the target for letting them drown. Why didn’t he think about that sooner? The human body was made mostly out of water. He’d feel it after all. So, why not try to manipulate it? He scribbled down some notes when he was interrupted by a knocking on his door.

“Just a second.” He called absentmindedly, not stopping once even after the door was opened and closed. Not even when a hand landed on his shoulder did he stop writing. He knew, of course, who had entered his lab. Even if he wouldn’t be able to sense the chakra, he’d still know that it was either Hashirama or Touka intruding, because of the seal he placed around his lab. Those were the only two with permission to enter, anyone else trying to enter without embedded into the seal would receive some serious backlash.

One of the elders had tried that once and ended in the healing wards for several days.

“Otouto.”

“Anija. I must write that down or I might forget it. Here, read that in the meanwhile.” Without looking, he grabbed a few notes that are marked with a big ‘H’ and shoved them into his brother’s chest, who out of reflex grabbed them before they could fall to the floor.

“What is that?”

“Just some ideas of wood style jutsus.”

“Huh?” His interest awoken, Hashirama read through the notes, eyes widening with each line he passed. “Flowering trees? Oh, that’s sounds interesting. I definitely have to try it out. It’d be very helpful should someone enter our territory. I’d use it as a trap.”

“You’d also use it in a fight. You can restrain your opponent with the branch and hold them until the flower is ready to produce enough pollen to knock them out.”

“Hm. Wouldn’t it be also dangerous for my allies? As I understand it, I’d create several trees with those flowers on them and release those pollen in the near atmosphere. Which means not only my opponent might inhale them, but also near allies.”

“That would be in case you’re standing on a battlefield. But, with enough control you might be able to control where the pollen spreads, which would be necessary in any case, or you might even knock yourself out. Though, I’m not truly sure if it might affect you. I guess for that you must try it out.” During the explanation, Tobirama finished his notes and then rubbed his tired eyes while leaning back.

“I see. Oh, and what is this one. Wood clones?”

“Well, simply put, clones of yourself made out of wood. It’s similar to my own shadow clone jutsu. Though in your case the clone or clones shouldn’t just disperse if they get hit.”

“You’re truly amazing, otouto.” Hashirama gave his flushing baby brother a wide grin before ruffling his hair. “Enough for today, though. It’s already time for dinner.” As if on cue, Tobirama's stomach began to growl, which made Hashirama laugh.

“That’s not funny.” Tobirama muttered, staring at his stomach like it had betrayed him.

“Yes, it is. Come. Touka should be ready to set up the dishes and is surely getting impatient.” Hashirama stood and helped his brother to get on his own feet. Having sat for so long Tobirama’s legs were half-asleep and Hashirama just caught him before he could fall back.

“You truly shouldn’t sit in one position for so long.”

“Just…Hey, let me down. Just give me sec.” Without hesitation Hashirama picked his brother up, holding him bridal style. Ignoring the protests, he carried Tobirama right up to the living room where Touka was indeed waiting for her cousins.

“Finally. I thought I was going to have to come down and drag you both upstairs. And what’s up with this picture? Has Tobi-kun unlearned to walk?” Tobirama gave Touka a heated glare, while Hashirama laughed.

“No, but he was sitting too long, and his legs fell asleep.”

“You’d just have waited for a minute, and I’d have been perfectly fine. I’m not a damsel in distress.” Tobirama scoffed. “And would you put me down already.”

“Wouldn’t you get lost while playing around in your little lab then we wouldn’t have to do this.” Touka teased, while Hashirama helped his little brother to sit across from her at the Kotatsu, a low table with a small heating area beneath and covered by a blanket that reached to the ground, so the heat wouldn’t escape.

“I’m hardly playing around. Would you stop that?” Tobirama clapped one of his brother’s hands in exasperation, who was trying to move his legs under the blanket.”

“But Tobi.”

“I’m not a toddler. Save the mothering for your niece or nephew.”

“The mother will be you, Tobira. And why are you fighting it? You didn’t protest before.”

“Of course, I did. Before I was mortally injured and pregnant.”

“Ignore him, Hashi. Deep down he likes it. It’s only his hormones that are speaking now. You know, mood swings and such.”

“I swear, I’ll kick your ass if you don’t stop.”

“You can try it, but I bet you’d be out of breath before you’d catch me.”

“Just wait. There will be a day I’ll catch you completely unaware.” Tobirama gave Touka a toothy grin, that meant nothing good. A shiver run down her spine, not doubting her cousin’s ability to create something that could do just that.

“Ah. I don’t want to be a part of your crazy jutsus, so stay away.”

“Then stop teasing me.”

“Nooo. It’s so much fun.”

“Well, then live with the consequences.”

“Children, stop…”

“I’m older than you.”

“Who are you calling a child? You’re a child.” Touka and Tobirama said in unison, causing Hashirama to fall back on his ass.

“You’re both mean.” Hashirama pouted, and then made himself comfortable on the Kotatsu.

They continued fooling around while eating dinner, pointing at each other with chopsticks and even using them to fight when they reached out for the same tidbit. After dinner Hashirama and Touka cleaned the dishes while Tobirama was dozing, lying on the tatami with his legs still under the kotatsu. He stayed like that even when Hashirama and Touka came back and started a game of Shogi.

After an hour or so, a hand was carefully placed on his abdomen, and he felt his brother’s chakra reaching out for the baby. It was something like a ritual by now. At least two times a day, mostly after breakfast and dinner, Hashirama would check on the baby. Call it paranoia, but neither of them wanted to miss any critical changes, especially after it was determined that the seal was not meant for something like preventing a miscarriage or the baby’s safety. 

And there had been already two occasions where Tobirama suffered from some cramps and light bleeding. The first time had happened shortly after they discovered the seal, and the second time a month later. To say that it freaked them out would be an understatement. Even the healers weren’t of any help to calm them down, explaining that something like this could happen and were just possible side effects of pregnancy.

And because Tobirama wasn’t actively going through a miscarriage, the seal’s purpose at those times was still a mystery.

Anyway, the experience was terrifying enough and so they developed this little ritual. And it was both soothing and relaxing whenever Hashirama confirmed that nothing was amiss.

“Your little bean is developing well. Now that you’re in your second semester, your belly should start growing soon.”

“Hm. I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to that. My balance will be completely off and I’m not looking forward to swollen feet and those back pains I saw many women suffering from. And I’ll waddle. Waddle. I don’t want to waddle.” Hashirama had to stifle a laugh and Touka wasn’t any better. Tobirama frowned and opened his eyes to angry slits, looking disapprovingly at his brother.

"Sorry," was all Hashirama managed to say before he burst out laughing, closely followed by Touka. With a scoff Tobirama turned on his side, back to his brother, and ignored the two for the rest of evening.

----

Another two days passed when Hashirama suddenly burst into Tobirama’s lab, frantically waving with an arm that holds a letter in hand.

“Tobi.”

“Anija, how often did I tell you not to enter without knocking. I’d have worked…”

“No. I have forbidden you to work on any seals or jutsus without me or Touka present. You promised.” Hashirama interrupted.

“You…”, Tobirama shook his head in fond exasperation, “Whatever. What happened? Has something happened to Kagami? I assume you’re holding a letter from the Uchiha. Have they done something that goes against the ceasefire?”

“No. It’s worse.”

“Worse? What can be worse as breaking the ceasefire?”

“The Uchiha. A nasty sort of flu has broken out within the Uchiha compound. Four people have already died.” The news let Tobirama sit up straighter.

“Oh. Is Madara and his family alright? What about Kagami?”

“Madara says he’s fine as well as Kagami, but the rest, they all have the flu. His youngest siblings, both are healers, must have caught it when they helped in the healing hall. From there it spread really fast. Tajima and Izuna are suffering the worst, however, while their cousins are only slightly better. The twins are only suffering some mild fever, headaches, and a running nose.”

“Okay? And he’s telling us why?”

“Mostly, because we won’t be able to exchange the blankets you’re offering for Kagami. But, Tobi. We need to help them.”

“We are not allies, Anija.”

“But we aren’t enemies either. Come on, otouto. There are children suffering.”

“I’m not a healer, Anija.”

Hashirama snorted, “You developed at least half of the Jutsus our healers are using. And I know you’re working on some other stuff as well. For all I know, you’re a healer.”

“And what do you want me to do? If the Uchiha suffering a nasty sort of flu, they should ask the Nara. They are experts in that field. And as far as I know the Nara and Uchiha have a contract regarding medicine.”

“But, Tobi. We’d help them as well and send some…” Hashirama whined, pacing forth and back in the room.

“No, Hashirama. You can’t just give away our own stocks of medicine. What if the flu is breaking out within our own compound? You can’t just give away our supplies. Furthermore, the Uchiha might not thank you for it. They could see it as a way to force them into a peace treaty where the Senju have power over them, because they are in our debt.”

“But you rescued their children. Aren’t they already indebted to us?”

“That’s not the same. There might be two or three who think they own me something after they found out what I have done, but I never asked for anything in return.”

“We won’t do that either when sending some medicine.”

“No, but they will still see it like that if we go into peace talks. They will agree to any terms we suggest in the belief they have no other choice. Therefore, Anija, we can’t just send them medicine out of our good will.” Hashirama stopped in his pacing while slumping his shoulders and turned his head to his brother with tears shining in his eyes.

“Isn’t there anything we can do?” Tobirama frowned. He couldn’t stand seeing his brother in such a pitiful state. Therefore, he thought for a moment how they might help the Uchiha.

“Well…Besides medicine. What else is needed to help a patient?” Now, it was Hashirama who frowned in thought.

“Well, we’d offer some supplies, like blankets or wood for keeping their fire running. I’d also suggest visiting with three more healers in exchange of money, turning it into a mission.”

“I doubt the Uchiha elders will agree with you stepping into the heart of their home. There’d be also the risk of catching the flu yourself and bringing it back into our own home.” Hashirama's shoulders slumped even further, and his lips twisted into a pout.

“You wouldn’t hesitate when it’d be Kagami being ill. You already helped him once, twice actually.” He then muttered under his breath.

Tobirama sighed, “Anija. One has nothing to do with the other. I’m just trying to be reasonable.”

“Why not? Kagami-kun is an Uchiha child. Just for his rescue the clan might already feel indebted to the Senju, not just to you. One of them even…it’s a major crime, you know. And I truly don’t see any reason why we can’t at least offer our help. Wouldn’t it help to improve our relationship?”

“I…guess you have a point.” A smile appeared on Hashirama’s face, proud of letting his brother see reason. Said brother huffed and crossed his arms. “I suggest you send a letter to Madara and ask him directly if any help from us will be appreciated. Make him a list of things we can offer. It’s then up to him and his clan if they accept or not.” Tobirama furrowed his brows when he saw his brother not listening, too excited to have won the argument. With a muttered, “You know what. I write the letter myself.”, he turned around and started to scribble down an offer to Madara.

“Thanks, otouto, you’re truly the best.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Go and make some tea. It’s the least you can do.” Hashirama gave his brother a quick hug and left him then. It took Tobirama only twenty minutes to write the letter. When he was done, he went up and handed the letter to his big brother, who read it in excitement before sending it on its way.

Hours later they received an answer. Much to Tobirama’s surprise the Uchiha agreed that Hashirama with three more healers were welcome and would be paid. The thing that neither Tobirama nor Hashirama had been considered was that Hashirama would have to leave his brother behind.

“Tobi.”

“It’ll only be for a few days, Anija. I’ll be fine.”

“But…”

“Now, it was your idea. So, stop whining. It’s not like I’d be alone. I’m sure Touka won’t leave my side for a second. And I can very well check my own body for any disturbances. Just make sure you don’t bring this nasty flu back. I’ve no desire to get sick.”

“Yes, otouto.” Hashirama slumped his shoulders in defeat.

The next morning after breakfast, Hashirama did a last check on his brother before saying goodbye.

Two days passed without anything happening. At the end of the third day, Tobirama’s head snapped to attention, his eyes gazing over when he directed his sensor abilities completely at one spot at the border.

Chapter Text

It started slowly. At first it was only one clan member, an elderly woman, who went to the healers because of some headaches. They checked her over, gave her a concoction to ease the headaches, and sent her back home. Then it was another, an elderly man, who suffered from the same symptoms. After a quick check, he, too, was released after getting a concoction.

No one thought anything of it, because it was a normal occasion during the winter where especially the elder generation suffered the most from the cold.

But then, more and more people started to feel unwell, and before they knew it, more than half of the clan was sick. Misaki and Izuya almost never left the healing hall anymore and Madara wasn’t dumb enough to see how tired all the healers were.

Unfortunately, his own family wasn’t spared. The twins, who were in contact with the illness for too long, were the first. Then it was Izuna and Tajima, and soon after Hikaku as well as Sango showed first signs of the illness. Madara and Kagami were the only ones who were spared so far, and Madara very much hoped that at least Kagami wouldn’t get it.

Since his first inhale of Senju Tobirama’s scent Kagami’s health constantly improved. It took only the entirety of two weeks, and Kagami was almost his usual self of a curious and chattery bundle of joy. After a month he regained a healthy weight, and nothing was stopping him playing in the snow or having a pranking war with Izuna.

And that was something Madara very much liked to see. His own brother relaxed and wasn’t staring at the Senju blanket in disgust anymore and like it was a personal offense. The short letters Kagami was exchanging with the omega seemed also to help Izuna warming up of the idea that peace might be indeed possible.

At no point did Tobirama mention anything that suggested an attempt of manipulation. Here and there he’d just ask how Kagami was doing, but mostly he was just answering the many questions Kagami had. Though, some were a little more difficult to answer than others, especially the question when Kagami finally sees the omega again, when not if.

It was a question neither Madara nor the others had been spared from either. And each time they answered with, ‘He’s with his own clan.’, ‘He can’t visit us, maybe after the winter.’, ‘We can’t visit him either.’, Kagami grew more and more restless. He wasn’t denying food or showing any signs of relapsing, but Madara saw him often enough staring into the distance where they knew the Senju compound was lying, wrapped in the soft black blanket with the Senju scent on it. If Kagami wasn’t just a four-year old boy, Madara would fear he’d run off and try to find the omega.

What had been a surprise where also the gift Tobirama had for little Kagami. A thick red and black scarf that had also a blue water dragon on it. Izuna had scowled when seeing the dragon, but Kagami was too excited to notice and was quick to put the scarf around his neck. And it was then that something clicked in Madara’s mind, because there was a hidden threat, meant for everyone who might try to harm the child. And from Izuna’s sharp inhale to Sango’s shocked expression to Hikaku’s open mouthed display, they all understood it as well. Kagami was under the protection of one who everyone called a demon.

It was a bold move, but not one Madara actually disliked if he was honest to himself. More the opposite if he considers how his alpha had been purring inside his head. Well, not only in his head if the looks of the others who had stared at him in confusion were anything to go by. When Madara had noticed the eyes on him and realized what he was doing, he immediately had stopped and had cleared his throat in embarrassment. No one commented on it, but the stares let on that they were suspicious, especially Sango and Hikaku who had witnessed Madara’s first reaction when holding the Senju’s black blanket.

They got even more suspicious when Madara went into an earlier rut shortly after. When asked he put the blame on all the stress he was under lately, what seemed to have been an excuse enough. But his relatives weren’t dumb, and Madara wouldn’t be very surprised if they figured it already out. He was just glad that they didn’t say anything.

Unfortunately, with the illness spreading like wildfire, Madara had no choice but to inform the Senju that it wouldn’t be possible to exchange the blankets anymore. If it hadn’t already happened then Madara didn’t want further risk infecting the Senju as well, especially not Tobirama, who is definitely pregnant and possibly still recovering from his injuries.

If they hadn’t been sure before then they were certain after two months of exchanging blankets. Something in Tobirama’s scent became more and more pronounced with the weeks passing. Next to the scent of fresh rain was the scent of something sweet, cedar if Madara wasn’t mistaken, a wood type that many used as firewood.

And it wouldn’t be farfetched either. Tobirama’s natural chakra affinity might be that of water, but he was still the blood brother of Senju Hashirama, the first Mokuton user since centuries. There was even a small chance that Tobirama's baby could inherit the Mokuton, although Madara didn't really believe that would be the case. The chance was far higher for it to develop the Sharingan instead.

What Madara didn’t expect was the response from the Senju after sending a letter to them. Not only did they offer supplies like wood, blankets or whatever else they seem to have plenty to share, they also offered to send healers, including Hashirama. Which was a surprise, because Madara hadn’t thought Hashirama would freely separate from his brother.

Still, Madara was seriously considering the offer. Nothing of it was for free, for which Madara was grateful. He felt already indebted enough to the Senju, or more precise to Tobirama, he couldn’t effort to be indebted to the entire Senju clan as well. It’d made it much harder later to negotiate the peace treaty if more than half the Uchiha clan was indebted to the Senju.

But if Madara accepts the offer and pays the Senju accordingly, then no one can force the Uchiha to accept anything that could be discussed during peace negotiations. Yes, Madara and his relatives might be still indebted to Tobirama for saving Kagami and the twins, but there was no further prove of Tobirama saving other children as well. Therefore, it was not a clan matter, but a family matter. If anyone would try to guilt trip Madara to accept something that affects the entire Uchiha clan then he’d just move his clan head title to someone else and be done with it.

Not that he plans to let it come so far. They already discussed how they could pay Tobirama back before any peace talks would begin. And what they have decided would be a great risk for the Uchiha but prevent any future accusations in the direction of the Senju.

However, right now the question was if they had enough money left to pay for the Senju. In the past months there haven’t been many mission requests, which was never the case in the winter months. Still, here and there some nobles needed an escort despite the fact that it would cost them double the price as usual.

Madara wasn’t blind to the fact that the prices the Senju demanded were the usual costs and not the doubled, they would normally demand during the winter. And he was grateful for that as well, because even the normal price was high enough to let him swallow. The Nara might be the experts in developing antidotes and medicine, but the Senju were unchallenged in their use of Iryōjutsu.

It might not help directly in erasing the infection, but it’d still help increase the strength of the patient to fight it. Maybe that was also the reason why the price wasn’t much higher. Because for the iryōjutsu to work properly in case of an infection, medicine was also needed, which they also started to run out. Though Madara didn’t dare to ask the Senju to bring some. Otherwise, they would surely have already offered it if they had been willing to share some of their medicine.

Of course, he didn’t blame them for not giving away their supplies. Firstly, they might need it themselves in case of a breakout and secondly, the Uchiha have a contract with the Nara. Therefore, there was absolutely no need to offer something that the Uchiha can get from their contract partner. And it’s not like Madara hadn’t already sent a request to the Nara for more medicine. The problem was just that it’d take a while to make and deliver the medicine. Though the request had been sent out two weeks ago and Madara hoped the medicine would arrive within the next couple of days.

To his further surprise, there was little protest from the elders, apart from Yashiro and Hjouske of course.

Sadly enough, elder Kaneda died a few days ago from the virus, and elder Fusaku lost his wife. The two elderly persons who showed first signs of the infection also died. Madara, too, has to fear losing his father and Izuna. Sango and Hikaku were only slightly better. It was only a slight relief to see the twins faring much better than anyone else despite being the first that got infected in their household. They were even forcing Madara to keep away and to take care of Kagami. 

Unfortunately, other families weren’t faring any better. The fear of losing a family member was almost overwhelming. It’s not like it’d be the first time they lost clan members, but this time it was worse than it had been the years before.

So perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that they had a truce with the Senju, which allowed the Uchiha to hire them when they desperately needed help.

Without much more hesitation Madara sent a response, accepting the offer and the amount of payment. And it was a day later that Madara stood at the gates and welcomed the Senju clan head and three nervous looking healers that accompanied him.

----

“I’m grateful you are here, Senju-sama.”

“Please, call me Hashirama. We know us long enough to skip the formalities.”

“As you wish. Call me Madara then.”

“With pleasure. So, where are the patients?”

“There are too much for housing them in the healing hall, but the worst cases you’ll find there, except of a few.” Madara explained while leading the four Senju to the middle of the compound.

“Okay. Let us see how bad it is.” It wasn’t long until they reached the healing house, where all available beds were occupied by patients. Even blind you’d feel the tension in the room, smell the sickness or hear the swallowed breaths. The healers did their best, but it was clear how tired and exhausted they were, barely able to keep themselves on their legs.

“Madara-sama.”

“Masato-san. Let me introduce you. This is Senju Hashirama, clan head of the Senju. Senju-sama, this is Masato, one of our best healers.”

“Greetings. Nice to meet you, though I wish the situation would be a better one.” Hashirama offered his hand which the other Uchiha accepted a little nervously.

“Uhm, hello.”

“Let me introduce my clan members. To my right is Senju Mikasa. Next to her is Senju Kaname and the last one is Senju Satoshi.”

“Hello.” They greeted each other, all of them being nervous.

“I think there is no time to waste. Madara-sama mentioned that all patients are in need of a healer, but are there some more urgent cases we’d look at?”

“Ehm, yes. We have two children and three adults that we fear might not survive the night.”

“Show us.” Hashirama said with determination in his voice.

Madara didn’t follow, just watching from the entrance how the Senju got to work. It was impressive. There weren’t any signs of hesitation in the movements. Hashirama placed himself between two beds, each occupied by a child that were siblings, and who Madara identified as the children of the clan’s blacksmith family.

Only seconds later the room was filled by green light from several different spots. For several hours the Senju worked without a break, switching here and there between patients when they were satisfied with the condition of the current patient.

The Uchiha healers often enough sighed in relief when it was clear that someone was farther away from death than before.

When Madara came back from ordering some food and drinks Masato and Hashirama approached him.

“How is it going?”

“Slow, but most are out of danger for now. I asked Masato-san if it’d be possible to see the other patients that are not residing in the healing hall.”

“I see. Well, I guess it’d make no sense to switch the patients, releasing those who are better with those that are also in dire need of a healer, right?”

“Indeed. If we expose them to the cold weather, they condition could worsen again quickly.” Masato explained.

“Fine. Do you have a list of names? I’ll escort Hashirama-sama to the respective families. They might be more agreeable to open their doors with me there.”

“Eh, yes. Just a second.” The young healer quickly disappeared and reappeared with a note in his hand.

“Here. Tajima-sama’s name is also on the list. The twins have mentioned that his condition worsened overnight. I suggest starting with him.”

“I see.” Madara bit on his lower lip while reading the names. A hand on his shoulder let him look up, and meet the eyes of his former friend, well, maybe no former any longer.

“Let’s go, Madara.”

When they were outside, Madara remembered something that let him stop in his tracks and warily looking at Hashirama, who stopped as well.

“What is it?”

“Uhm. I’m not sure how to say or ask it, but will you be fine? I mean, my father. He…has a part in your brothers’ death. He wasn’t there, but still, he allowed it?”

Hashirama didn’t response immediately, just blankly looking at Madara for almost a minute.

“I can’t say if I’ll ever forgive him. However, Butsuma isn’t less innocent in the matter. After all, he had sent an assassin to kill your siblings as well and we had our own child hunter squads. In addition, Itama and Kawarama were much too young to be sent out. Kawarama had been only seven when Butsuma ordered his participation on the battlefield. Itama…” Hashirama swallowed, barely able to keep his tears from falling, “…Itama was ten when five Uchiha hunted him down and tortured him to death. Ten Madara. And you know what is worse? Tobirama felt it, all of it. He felt Kawarama’s as well as Itama’s pain, he felt when their chakra disappeared from the earth. He felt them die. And I? I almost witnessed the death of my last brother when your father threw that Kunai at him.” Madara could just stare in shock.

Hashirama sniffed and used his sleeve to wipe away the tears that he was unable to stop from falling. Then he took a deep breath, “In one way I was relieved when Tajima-sama decided to resign as clan head and therefore not being the one facing me on the battlefield. I don’t know what I’d have done when facing him directly. But it had been years now. Yes, it still hurts, and as I said I might not be able to forgive those involved in the deaths of my brothers, but I refuse to let my grief control my actions. We have a ceasefire. We are close to letting our dream come true. And I’ll do what it’s necessary to prevent another war between our clans.”

“Hashi…You…My father regrets his decisions. He wouldn’t have attacked Tobirama, nor would he have allowed any attacks on your brothers if he had known that he saved the twins. It was one of our elders that got into his head and convinced him to take revenge for the attempt of trying to kill my youngest brother and sister. It was also the same elder that lead one of our child hunters’ squads. It’s no excuse, of course.”

Hashirama froze, then asked, “An elder?”

Madara nodded slowly. “Yeah. He’s still on the council. I can’t just remove him because I dislike him. He had father’s permission and as far as I’m aware he stopped hunting children when I took over and disband the child hunter squads. I have no proof if he was one of those who killed your brother as well. All I know is that he came back one day, covered in blood and the only survivor that made it back. When I asked, he just told me they were on a hunt and run into a demon with white hair and red eyes. And I don’t mean alpha red or Sharingan red. Uchiha are no kin slayer, well, at least not without good reason.” Madara muttered, not able to look at Hashirama, which was also the reason he missed how Hashirama tensed for a second before taking in a relaxed posture again.

“I see. Well, my brother is very good at identifying people through their chakra signature. I guess, we might find out sooner rather than later if this elder might have killed my brother.” Madara’s eyebrows shot into his hairline. He already suspected that Tobirama was not an ordinary sensor, but identifying people by their chakra signature? That was incredible.

“Your brother must be an extraordinarily good sensor.”

“Yes, he is.” Hashirama gave Madara a thoughtful look, but decided not to reveal how extraordinary Tobirama's sensory abilities really were, at least not now. He also kept his mouth shut in regards of the description Madara received about the person that killed almost an entire child hunting squad. Tobirama might no longer hide his appearance when being in the Senju compound, but he still did it when leaving their home. It was only once when he left the compound without a disguise and that was when he felt Itama being hunted and killed.

“I wish you’d have accepted my peace offer sooner. I think I understand why you haven’t or couldn’t do it, but Madara, may I ask what exactly changed? Is it fear? Did you offer the ceasefire because of my threat? Of not holding back any longer? Is it because of finding out that Tobirama saved your younger siblings? Or is it the possibility of Tobirama carrying a child of Uchiha blood? You’re the head of your clan. I can understand that you might have declined my offers because of your clan not standing behind you, but I saw them, I saw the shock when I mentioned the ceasefire. They haven’t known. So why offering a ceasefire behind the clan’s back. How could you convince them to accept it and not the years before?”

“I…I don’t know what to tell you Hashirama. My first priority was always the clan, my family, my brothers and sister. They still are. We were children when we first met. It was easier to pretend, to dream. But then. You threw that stone, and I felt, I don’t know, betrayed?, shattered? And then our fathers and brothers faced each other, and they didn’t hesitate in attacking. I was so scared. Scared when that kunai flew to Izuna. I’d have lost my brother that day as you’d have lost yours. After that we haven’t seen each other for years to come. Many of my clan lost their lives. Butsuma…his hate was well known among the Uchiha. And how could I know if you were still…well you. He was your father, Hashirama. And children tend to follow their parents’ footprints.”

“I killed him.”

“W-what?”

“I killed Butsuma. He was close to kill Tobirama, but before he’d I killed him.” Hashirama looked at the cloudy sky. “I took over the clan and made it clear what my plans were for the future. It didn’t matter to me what they thought. I was tired, still am. All my life I had to fight, to watch my father hurting my siblings, especially Tobirama. I reached my breaking point the day I killed Butsuma.” Hashirama’s eyes found Madara’s, who stood frozen in place.

“To be honest Madara, you’re the only reason your clan is still standing. I’d have ended it all after I became a clan head, but I never forgot the days we met at the river. We had, have the same dream and despite your repeated rejection I held on to my hope you would one day accept my offer. But that hope died the moment I almost lost Tobirama to one of your clan members. Then you present me with a ceasefire and with that all my hope of peace returns. Still, I don’t like the idea of having peace based on fear.”

“Hashirama.” Madara murmured, then raised his voice so his friend could hear him. “Hashirama, this peace…this ceasefire. I didn’t offer it because I fear you. I always knew what you’re capable of. I’m not blind. Maybe I haven’t realized how strong you truly are, but I always knew that you were holding back. Don’t think that I haven’t wanted to accept your offers, but I couldn’t go against my clan, against my own brother.”

“And yet you did it anyway.”

“Yes. Because I’m an egoistic bastard. Seeing your brother…it’d have been Izuna. I’m not naive enough to believe Izuna would have survived. We don’t have a healer like you Hashirama. Izuna would have died before we even reached the compound. But that isn’t the only reason. Look around. Most of our buildings are falling apart. We might be a noble clan, but even a noble clan needs money. But all the money we earn is used to keep my people prepared for battle, to buy medicine, and what else is needed to attend wounds. And in addition, I need the money to buy enough food, so we are not starving during the winter. Not to forget the supplies which are needed for missions.”

Hashirama looked around and almost winced. “Shouldn’t it have been more reason to accept my peace offer.”

“Pride, stubbornness, arrogance, blindness. Call it what you want Hashirama. My clan wasn’t ready…I wasn’t ready to stand my ground. But I am now. And yes, it also has something to do with your brother saving my siblings and Kagami, and yes also with the child he’s carrying. It shouldn’t be, but I don’t want to lie to you. The child, even if not in name is still a child of Uchiha blood. And I’d much prefer if it’s raised with us as allies instead being forced to face us in battle.”

“What about the fa…sperm donor?”

“Sperm donor?”, Madara said while crunching his nose.

“We refuse to call him father, because he won’t be one. Tobirama came up with the term, and I find it fitting, because that disgusting piece of shit is nothing else than that.” Hashirama waved him off, though his tone changed to something sharper at the end.

Madara couldn’t more agree, so he only gave a slight nod and instead answered the question, “Locked up. He won’t leave the compound for a long time. Rape is a serious crime, but we aren’t executing our people as long as they aren’t posing a bigger threat.”

“You are aware that might change if we build a village, right? Other clans have other laws than our clans. Some harsher, while others are no more than a clap on the fingers.”

“I know that. But that is something for the future. For now, I think we have our hands full to keep our people in check. Or at least I have to. Most of my clan had warmed up to the idea of peace. The month after the battle already started to show how beneficial an alliance between us is, even if it’s mostly the civilians. Still one misstep, only one false word, and they could change their opinion, again. It’s already hard enough to keep two of my elders in check. I know that they are planning something behind my back, but without proof I can’t do anything. I can’t just kill anyone who doesn’t share my opinion or world view.”

“Sounds very familiar.” Hashirama scoffed. “Don’t think just because I killed Butsuma that everyone is happy with me, my plans, or my changes I made after I became clan head. It’s the reason why Tobirama suggested to include the clausal of investigation before declaring the ceasefire null and void.”

“I see.”

“Let’s go Madara. I promise I’ll do what I can to save your family.” After a pause, Hashirama added. “Maybe, we stop questioning our decisions and just concentrate on letting our dream come true. We have a ceasefire. And if it’s true what you said that most of your clan members are open for more, then let us try to keep it that way. I mean, why else am I here and not at home with my brother.” Madara nodded and passed Hashirama to lead him into his home.

It didn’t take long and soon enough Hashirama kneeled next to Tajima’s futon with green glowing hands. After taking care of Tajima, Hashirama also treated Izuna, Hikaku, Sango and the twins.

Once more Madara was reminded how big Hashirama’s chakra reserves must be, because the Senju barely showed any signs of exhaustion after hours of constant chakra use.

----

It was late in the evening when they sat down in what must be the living room of Uchiha main household. While Hashirama was taking care of the patients, Madara prepared a meal and tea and also took care of Kagami, who was fast asleep when Hashirama was finally done treating Madara’s family.

“How are they?” Madara asked when they were seated on the cushions at the low table.

“The twins should be fine by tomorrow. Hikaku-san and Sango-san are also much better, maybe two more days and they will be back to normal. Izuna-san will need a few more days of rest. The fever isn’t gone yet, but it should be gone by tomorrow. I have no doubt he will fully recover. Tajima-sama on the other hand.” Hashirama paused for a second, not sure how to give him the news.

“What about him? Will he be fine?” Madara pushed, feeling dread twisting his guts.

“Tajima-sama. He isn’t suffering just from the flu like the others. He…his chakra coils are degrading as we speak. I can’t use my chakra, or I’ll increase the process. I don’t know what it’s causing it, but it’s worst around his eyes. Did you know that he’s almost blind?”

Madara didn’t response, much too shocked about the revelations. Even hearing about the blindness was a shock, because it was only known that the Mangekyō Sharingan could cause blindness over time, but this…this was something else.

“Madara? I’m sorry. I’m not sure if I can reverse the damage. This goes further than just strengthening someone’s immune system. And I fear there isn’t much I can do, because I’m not a healer.”

“It’s…it’s okay, Hashirama. I…I didn’t hire you to find a cure for an unknown illness.”

“Nonetheless, if you allow, I can ask my companions to take a look?” Madara shook his head.

“No. We have our own healers. Regardless of their age, Izuya and Misaki are exceptional healers. They can take a closer look at father. I mean he isn’t going to die anytime soon, is he?”

“Not within the next twelve hours, but if his conditions worsen then I fear there isn’t much I can do. It’s like I said. If I use my chakra then I only increase the damage on his chakra coils. Therefore, I only used very little to at least lighten his symptoms a little, but it’s not enough to lower his fever to a point that it might break overnight.”

“I see.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. I’d rather thank you for discovering it.”

“What about his blindness?”

“I don’t know. Blindness is unfortunate side effect of using the Mangekyō Sharingan, which my father hasn’t developed. So, I can only conclude it has something to do with whatever he has. Uh. Don’t spread that information around like its common knowledge, I mean about the blindness.”

“I won’t. Though if you allow, I might tell Tobirama. He’s…uhm…working on some healing jutsus including damages on the eye nerve system. Maybe he’d find something to help your father or your clan in general should someone develop the Mangekyō Sharingan.” Hashirama looked meaningfully at Madara, knowing that his friend had it. He wasn’t sure why and when Madara developed it, but he was certain it must have happened between their last battle and the one before. Maybe it was even the day when Kagami had been kidnapped.

“You’re kidding right?” Madara asked stunned.

“Uhm. No? Tobi is really great in creating new jutsus. He’s also very invested in fūinjutsu and medical jutsus. He developed several smaller techniques that helps in surgery, like Chakura no Mesu (chakra scalpel). He also developed Saikan Chūshutsu no Jutsu (Delicate Illness Extraction Technique), a technique that it used when a person has been afflicted by a pathogen or toxin. It’s actually that technique we are using to at least remove some of the pathogen. We also will keep some examples to find out if it might be more than just an illness. Unfortunately, we can’t remove all of it, but with the combination of strengthening the immune system the rest should be taken care of by the patient’s body itself. Or in case of a toxin, it’d at least give us enough time to find an antidote.”

“Poison? Do you think someone had poisoned my clan?” Madara asked shocked.

“Uhm. No. I just meant it as an explanation for the jutsu.”

Madara sighed in relief, “Ok, wow. I knew your brother seems to be smart. I think I saw at least five new techniques may it be nin- or kenjutsu, he used in his battles with Izuna over the past two years, and I had a suspicion that he was also invested in fūinjutsu. Does he have a sensei?” Hashirama shook his head.

“No, everything he knows he taught himself. Unfortunately, he also tends to try out the jutsus on himself. And I can’t even count how often he almost blew up our home when one of his seals isn’t working as expected. He absolutely has no instinct of self-preservation.”

“I…shit.” Madara muttered, two fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Your brother isn’t just smart, but a genius.”

“Oh, he is.” Madara looked at Hashirama, expecting him to say more, but the Senju just smiled with pride clearly visible in his eyes. Madara wasn’t even sure if he wanted to know more. At this point he wasn’t sure which of the brothers was more terrifying. Hashirama with his Mokuton and endless chakra reserves or his brother who was clearly a genius and to who know what capable. Creating jutsus was one thing, but learning fūinjutsu from scratch without a sensei at hand? That was a complete other matter. And damn it, he wasn’t even an adult yet.

Now, Madara was even more certain that Izuna might have been defeated someday. Alone for that Madara couldn’t regret his decision to go with his gut feeling and to choose to end the feud with the Senju.

An image of a mini version of Tobirama crossed his mind and Madara almost shivered at the thought of it. Madara wouldn’t count himself to be dumb, but Tobirama was clearly out of his league with his brilliance. That brilliance combined with the Sharingan or Mokuton, or worse maybe even both? It’d be an unstoppable force.

“Madara? What are you thinking about?”

“How is your brother, if you don’t mind me asking?” Hashirama titled his head at the clear diversion but went with the flow regardless.

“As well as he can be. Most of his wounds have healed and he started to do some exercises to get back into shape.”

“Is it wise for him to do so when pregnant. Isn’t he at risk to lose the child?” Madara frowned. Hashirama stilled, opening and closing his mouth, not sure what to say. It wasn’t official that Tobirama was pregnant. Yes, he might have given enough hints that this was the case, but they never confirmed it outwardly.

Madara sighed, “Hashirama. Alone our earlier conversation should have made it clear that we are aware of his pregnancy. You even asked after the ‘sperm donor’,…” Madara made some quotes in the air while also crunching his nose at the term, “…and for months, your brother is sending us trinkets with his scent. It’s more than obvious that his scent is changing, becoming sweeter with each exchange. A beta or child that hasn’t presented yet might be oblivious to it, but anyone else is more than capable to come to the right conclusion when already knowing that there is a possibility to it.”

Hashirama gulped. “You can smell it?”

“Of course, I can. Why wouldn’t I.”

“Uhm. Forget it.”, Hashirama waved off and quickly added, “He isn’t doing much as stretching and some light katas that he doesn’t need much space for. He’s forbidden to go out for more than ten minutes a day. We also check daily if something is wrong.” Madara narrowed his eyes at this clear dismissal and decided not to push.

“We? But you aren’t there.”

“Tobi is more than capable to feel if anything changes, and our head healer will be more than capable to help should something be wrong. And he promised to inform me if something might be wrong, even if it might be nothing. And to be honest, I only realized that I’d have to leave him after we sent the letter with our offer to you. Funny enough, even Tobirama forgot about that little fact.” Hashirama laughed, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

“I already wondered.” Madara muttered in disbelief. “So, you decided to come anyway even after you figured it out. Why? Surely the wellbeing of your brother is much more important than that of my clan.”

“Hm. I can’t deny that the wellbeing of my brother is of high priority for me, even more than that of my own clan.” Hashirama said with a frown. “Which sounds truly awful considering that I’m the clan head. However, if helping you means faster convincing people that peace is possible, then the faster Tobirama and his child will live in a safe environment, which goes for all other children as well of course, no matter if they are Senju or Uchiha. Or so I hope at least.”

Hashirama took a sip from his tea, that was slowly getting cold, before he added, “Additionally, I can’t coddle him forever, Madara. As much as I dislike it, but I can’t lock him up or watch him 24 hours each single day. I have to trust him.”

“Doesn’t change the fact that he’s pregnant and of high risk losing the babe.”

“No, and believe me, until I’m back home and made sure he’s indeed fine, I’m on high alert. Even now.” There was a slight change in Hashirama’s eyes and Madara immediately tensed.

“I…I see. Your control is impressive. Your scent isn’t giving away anything.”

“Years of training and experience. Butsuma wasn’t a kind alpha nor was he ever close to being a loving father. For him, we’re just some soldiers, even I with my Mokuton. But let’s not talk about him. The man doesn’t deserve to ever be mentioned again.”

“Uh. I agree. If you allow me another question?”

“Sure.”

“Will your brother accompany you to the Daimyo’s court in two months?”

“We haven’t talked about it yet. At that point Tobirama will be six months pregnant. But I guess there is a difference between leaving him for a couple of days or a couple of weeks if not more. So, either we go or neither of us. I might just send our cousin Touka with some of the elders I trust.”

“How likely is the second option?” Hashirama moved his gaze from his plate up to Madara.

“Why are you asking?”

“Uhm. Curiosity? I swear I’m not planning anything or actually I have some plan in mind which I’d like to discuss with you before you leave. Maybe somewhere we are more in private.” Madara turned his gaze to the Shoji (sliding door) where a small figure peaked through a small gap into the room.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed? I thought you’re already sleeping.” There was a slight squeaking sound before the Shoji was moved and revealed a shy looking boy that was still half-hidden behind the sliding door.

Hashirama moved his body, so he was fully facing the little newcomer, and could give him his best encouraging smile. “Oh? Am I right in assuming that you’re Kagami-kun?” Uncertain the boy looked at Madara, who gave him a slight nod in response.

“Y-yes. ‘ho are ‘ou?”

“How rude of me. My apologies. I am Senju Hashirama.”

“’ou ‘now me?”

“Well, we never met personally before, but you met my brother once. He’s also the one who gifted you with that scarf…”, he pointed at Kagami’s neck, “…and sends you a new blanket each week. You know him also as Senju Tobirama.”

“Tobi-okaasama?” The little boy’s eyes widened and then he was suddenly in Hashirama’s personal space. Both Madara and Hashirama choked at the title and gaped at the boy. In a rapid speed Kagami asked several questions, while Madara mouthed ‘Tobi-okaasama’ and Hashirama just looking at the boy in wonder.

“Kagami. Kagami-kun. Breath.” Madara interrupted then after a minute of regaining his composure.

Kagami stopped and took a deep breath, then waited for Hashirama to answer his questions.

“I’m sorry little one. I fear it’ll be a while until you can meet my brother.” Kagami’s face fell. Not liking what he was seeing, Hashirama tried to cheer him up. “Be assured, that my brother is as healthy as he can be. He also loves the letters you’re writing for him. You’d see him. There is always a smile on his face when he’s reading them. And do you know what?” Kagami shook his head, hanging at each word the Senju was saying.

Hashirama leaned a little forward, lowering his voice like he wanted to share a secret. “I know that my brother keeps every single one of them. Most of them he ties together and places them into a small box that he hides within his nest. But there are one or two messages he always keeps close to his heart.”

“’eally?” Kagami asked with big round eyes, slightly shining as he’d start crying at any second.

“Yes. He wants to meet you as much as you want to meet him. Unfortunately, we have to wait a little more before it can happen, but time is running faster than you think and before you both know it, you’ll meet again.”

“Hm, hm. ‘ill ‘you tell me ‘bout Tobi-okaasama?”

“I fear that has to wait until tomorrow. There are still a few patients that need my help. But I can tell you about some stories at lunch tomorrow. How does it sound?”

“’omise?”

“I promise.” Kagami grinned brightly and then run off with a quick “G’night”.

“Cute little kid.” Hashirama started with a smile before turning back to Madara, who just shook his head at his young cousin’s behavior.

“Don’t be fooled by his cute looks. Kagami is actually a true troublemaker. He loves to play pranks.”

“Oh? Interesting.” Hashirama chuckled, noting the information down for his brother.

“What’s so funny?” Madara asked suspiciously.

“Nothing. Nothing. Shall we see the other patients? I’d like to see them before they condition can get worse.” Madara gave the Senju a considering look but nodded. The patients had higher priority than his worry of what Hashirama might have in mind about Kagami being a little prankster.

----

The next two days went equally smoothly than the first one. More and more Uchiha recovered from the illness. The medicine Madara ordered from the Nara had also arrived and helped immensely.

But it was also at the end of the third day that Hashirama felt a disturbance at the Senju border. He was immediately on high alert.

Madara who noticed the sudden change in his friend tensed and asked, “Hashirama, what is it?”

“Intruders. Someone has entered Senju territory.”

“Who? How many? Do you know if they’re friend or foe?”

“I can feel twenty, definitely Shinobi, and no one I’d recognize. They move fast. I’ve got to go. Tobi is in danger.” Hashirama was quick to gather his things and to call for the three Senju healers.

“Hashirama-sama?”

“We have no time. Follow me. I’ll explain what I can on our way.”

“Hashirama. Do you want us to come? I promise we won’t enter, but should the intruders try to enter Uchiha territory we can help to incapacitate them. Just try to lead them into our direction.”

“I’d be grateful for your help Madara.”

“I can send a note to your brother. It’ll be hours before you reach home. We need to warn your clan if they don’t already know.”

“They know. A troop of Senju is already on their way to meet them.”

“I very much hope your brother isn’t with them.”

“Much to my relief, he isn’t. But it doesn’t mean he’s out of danger. We can send him a quick note regardless. Wouldn’t do if my clan thinks you’re chasing us.” At that point Madara was very certain that Hashirama’s brother could reach out further than any sensor Madara ever knew. Otherwise, this comment would make no sense.

“I’ll try to lead them to the Naka River, the place we met in our childhood.” Hashirama was quick to scribble down their plan and Madara didn’t hesitate to send it on his way. While Madara called for those in his clan that had been spared or had been recovered from the illness, Hashirama and the three Senju healers run off as quickly as they could.

Chapter Text

Tobirama was pacing. As soon as he noticed the intruders he had called Touka, who only asked one question, “Where and how many?”.

“Twenty, Northern border. They entered ten minutes ago. All of them Shinobi, four from land of lightning, three I assume from land of water. The rest are Hagoromo Shinobi.”

“A pretty mixed bunch of Shinobi. Very well then. I take five of our squads, including mine, with me.”

“Touka.”

“No discussions, cousin. You’ll stay. You know better than forcing yourself in a situation that could not only you but everyone else put into danger.” Tobirama had gritted his teeth, but knew Touka was right. In his current condition he’d just be a disturbance, pregnant or not.

With a quick, “Be careful.”, and “Don’t underestimate me.”, Touka departed and left an anxious Tobirama behind, who used his sensor abilities to follow her and the enemy’s movements.

Only minutes later, he also felt his brother’s and that of the three healers’ chakra moving. Hashirama must have felt when they stepped on Senju land and into the thick barrier of trees he had placed. What got him off guard were the Uchiha signatures that were also soon following after the four Senju.

Did something happen? Were Uchiha hunting his brother and clan members? His question was soon answered when he heard a hawk knocking at the window. When he opened the window he immediately recognized the messenger bird from the Uchiha.

Without any hesitation, Tobirama had opened the scroll and read the short note, breathing out a sigh of relief when it became clear why the Uchiha were following his brother. It was one less worry.

Since then, four hours had passed. For Hashirama it was the longest way. From the Uchiha compound to the border it was a three-hour journey in a slow path. In a hurry, a Shinobi can cover the distance in half the time. From there it took Hashirama thirty more minutes to reach Touka and the others, who already were engaged in a fight for almost an hour.

The opponent was not to be underestimated. Four Senju had fallen to two of the lands of lightning Shinobi and five more were close to falling when Hashirama finally arrived. It turned the tail to their side and soon after the Senju were leading the fight in the direction of where the Uchiha were waiting.

However, the enemy seemed determined. While Hashirama was distracted by fighting the same two Shinobi from the lightning country, four Hagoromo and two of the land of water Shinobi split from the group and run off in direction of the Senju compound.

Tobirama had a vague idea what they wanted and made a few preparations in case they somehow managed to reach the compound. When they were close, Tobirama joined the guards that were looking and waiting for the opponent Tobirama had informed them were approaching. He wore his armor, which he had repaired even though he knew he might not wear it for a while. And due to his still flat stomach it still fits him perfectly.

“Keep ready. They’ll run into our traps in five more minutes.”

“Tobirama-sama. You shouldn’t be out here.” Elder Akihito exclaimed. Despite being an elder and a beta, Akihito was still an experienced and capable fighter, like most of the elders were. They might have their differences but when it comes to protecting the clan they all were on the same page, except those might be a plot of some kind, but that thought Tobirama shoved into the far back of his mind for the moment. Right now, he couldn't sense any traitorous emotions in anyone's chakra, so he wasn't going to bother with anything that didn't require his full attention when they were just five minutes away from being attacked. Doesn’t mean, of course, he wasn’t keeping an eye on his surroundings. He made this mistake once, he won’t do it again, even if he was among allies.

Not friends. Because Tobirama didn’t consider anyone among the Senju as a friend. For him, only Touka and Hashirama, who were his pack, his family had his full trust. There was no one else among the Senju he trusted or considered more as a comrade.

“Elder Akihito. Now is not the time for any discussions. I…” Tobirama was interrupted by a loud explosion that drew everyone’s attention to a cloud of smoke appearing between the trees on the other side of the small clearing that was close to the compound, making it impossible to see what or who was coming.

In a quick move Tobirama was standing in a defense position, holding his sword in one hand and in the other a kunai in front of him. It might be unwise to use his chakra, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any other means to defend himself.

The others had been quick as well to take in a fighting stance and now were just waiting for the attack to come. Tobirama, of course, knew where the opponents were and was also quick to warn the others, with a quick “From the right and left” before metal met metal with a clashing sound running through the clearing.

Of the six people that had been coming, only four remained after the trap had been triggered. The other two were either dead or seriously injured so that they must have lost consciousness.

Tobirama gritted his teeth at the impact. His opponent was one of the Hagoromo Shinobi with a fat evil grin spread across their face.

“No, what have we here. Aren’t you a pretty one. Where is your clan heir, handsome? I might be so kind and spare you if you tell me.” The grin on the man’s face widened even more, though it quickly fell when he received no response.

For a brief second Tobirama was confused about the question before he remembered that he hasn’t changed his appearance as he usually did when leaving the compound. Everyone outside of the Senju thought that he had light brown hair like his younger brother Kawarama and dark brown eyes like his older and youngest brothers Hashirama and Itama. Even his skin appeared darker than it would usually be.

It didn’t even cross his mind that they had no idea that the Senju clan heir looked as what most would consider a ghost. The actual term was albino, though in Tobirama’s case he differed from what most albinos look alike. Where most albinos had white or very light blond hair, his was the color of a pale silver moon.  Where albinos would have pale pink or pale blue gray, in a few cases even pale brown colored eyes, his were a scarlet red that many often mistook as that of alpha red or the Uchiha’s Sharingan red, that both were darker in color.

However, what was very much the same as that of a typical albino, was his pale skin that also easily burned when being in the sun for only a few minutes without any protection, light sensibility and bad eyesight. In Tobirama’s case he was also presented with a weak body that Butsuma of course was adamant to change. Well, at least in that point Tobirama agreed with his father even if only in silence.

Unfortunately, it became clear soon enough that Tobirama would never be as strong as his older brother or most of the alphas or betas. Even some of the omegas he met on his missions were stronger build than him. So, he decided to focus on speed instead of strength. He even managed to decrease the amount of hand signs to perform a jutsu, even so far that he only needed one hand or just a raise of one finger. When used correctly, speed can easily trump brute force.

Of course, it was important not to crumble during the first clash of weapons against weapons, or when being hit once or twice, but Tobirama knew he wouldn’t last long if he’d be engaged in a hand-to-hand fight for too long. His only advantages were his speed and jutsus.

Which was also the case with his current opponent, who was an alpha, at least a head taller than him and much stronger. It was good that he had a brother with an equally strong build and with whom he had trained for years. The only problem was his current state. If he wanted to survive then he needed to end this quickly.

“What’s wrong, pretty one? Have you swallowed your tongue?”

“No, but I see no reason to talk to someone who will be dead in just a minute.”

“Oh? Big words for someone whose arms are already shaking. You’re lucky that you have such a pretty face. I think I’ll keep you. I bet your…” The man stopped mid-sentence, eyes going wide followed by blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. “Wha…”

“No one touches my brother. It was a mistake to come here, one you won’t have time to regret.” Tobirama watched how the alpha’s eyes turned dull while the top of a vine retreated from the chest. As soon as it was gone the body fell to the ground where soon a puddle of blood was forming around it.

Before he’d even looked up, Tobirama was captured in an embrace and pressed into a warm chest. It was just due to his quick reflexes that his older brother didn’t jump right into the sword or kunai that he had still held in his hands in front of him.

“Anija.” Tobirama started in an exasperated tone, though Hashirama didn’t give him a chance to scold him.

“Tobira. I was so scared. Are you alright? Are you injured?”

“Anija.”

“Let me look at you. Is the baby okay?”

“Anija.”

“Who allowed you to leave the compound? You shouldn’t be out in the cold less be in a fight.”

“Anija, stop fuzzing. I’m fine. And I allowed myself to leave the compound.”

“But Tobi.”

“Don’t ‘But Tobi’ me. I know perfectly what I’m doing.”

“Clearly not or you’d have stayed in the safety of the compound. You know how dangerous it can be for you to be out in the cold for too long.”

“I wasn’t even out for more than thirty minutes.”

“It’s still too long. Come, let us not waste any more time. Each minute you stay out will only increase the risk of you getting a cold.” Tobirama barely managed not to let out an undignified squeak when Hashirama suddenly lifted him like he was a toddler, placing him on his hip.

“Let me down.”, came the immediate demand, but of course, Hashirama ignored him. Instead, he just turned to the other clan members who went rigid when they saw his face.

“Please clean up the place. Burn the trash. Transport those still alive to our cells. I’ll interrogate them later.”

“Yes, sir.” Hashirama looked down at the man that threatened his brother and decided to use him to make his point clear. It was also the perfect moment to test one of Tobirama’s inventions.

“Let’s go, Otouto. Let us make sure you and the baby are fine.” Tobirama just huffed and put his arms around his brother’s neck. He’d never admit it, but even the short clash of swords tired him more out than he’d thought it would.

----

“Do you think they have been hired to attack the Senju?” Touka asked the next day. She and the others had arrived in the early hours after midnight with another prisoner in tow.

When Hashirama had felt the split up of the little group he hadn’t hesitated to send a signal to the Uchiha in the form of a huge vine spreading into the air and above the trees, giving them permission to enter Senju land.

It took them only a few minutes to arrive, because Hashirama and the others weren’t far away from the border at that point. With just a short “Tobirama is in danger”, Hashirama switched with Madara, who continued the fight with the two Shinobi from the land of lightning, while Hashirama followed the group of six back to his home.

“Hm. Attacking the Senju with just twenty Shinobi is suicide. So, my guess goes more in direction of distraction and abduction.” Tobirama replied, while picking a piece of meat from his Yakitori ¹.

“And what might we have what they want? We are not a clan that shares a specific Kekkei Genkai. Hashi is the only Kekkei Genkai user we have, and he wasn’t even here.”

“I think that’s the reason why they had come. Without Hashirama their chance of success was much bigger.”

“Yeah? Still doesn’t change the fact that we have nothing of value to them.”

“Are you sure? Think about it this way. For decades you’re allied with a clan that shares the same enemy with you. Then for whatever reason, you break your alliance and become number two enemy of your former ally. Someday, a small bird chirps that your former ally has now a ceasefire with their number one enemy, the same enemy you fought against for decades, which means your entire existence could be at stake. What will you do?”

“Everything in my power that this alliance, ceasefire or whatever doesn’t hold. But to know how to break it, I need to know the reason for the ceasefire in the first place. Oh. Oh no, no way. You mean they had come for you?”

“That’s my guess. Either to kill or to kidnap me.”

“But why would either of the option cause the ceasefire to fail? They would only make themselves a bigger target.”

“Only if you knew who attacked. Neither of them wore any clan symbols. You only knew about their origin because I’d sense it.”

“Huh. True. Still, it’d have been not enough to cause the ceasefire to fail.”

“Maybe. But you have to consider the question ‘Who told them in the first place?’. The ceasefire hadn’t been announced officially yet. The only one who had been informed was the Daimyo.”

“A spy? No, more likely a traitor. Only Senju and Uchiha knew that Hashirama wasn’t in the compound, after all.” Touka mused.

“Precisely. Which also means they knew about me being pregnant. For bloodline thieves a very welcome opportunity to steal a child that has both Senju and Uchiha blood running through their veins. A child that might also be another Mokuton user, even if the chance is almost non-existent for that to be the case.”

“So, you think, the Hagoromo were more interested in getting their hands on an unborn child as considering the consequences?”

“Who knows? Whoever had hired them might have convinced them that they wouldn’t have anything to fear.”

“I’ll speak to the prisoners after launch is finished. And I won’t leave until I have my answers.” Hashirama cut in with a dark and determined expression. “This is unforgivable.”

“What will you do if it was one of the Uchiha?” Touka asked with her own scowl on her face.

“Well, there is a reason why we put some safety clauses into the ceasefire. If our prisoners truly blame an Uchiha then I’ll inform Madara. It’ll be up to him then to do his own investigations.”

“Right. But what if…”

“Touka. For three days I have been living among the Uchiha. And I can tell you that they are as tired as us of this war. Yes, some have been wary of us, which can be expected under the circumstances, but many were also very grateful for our help. And they helped us as well. Yes, it’d also be a plot to gain more of my trust but believe me that at least Madara had no idea of the attack. So, I’ll give him the chance to clear up the mess should truly an Uchiha be involved.”

“It’d also have been someone among the Senju as unlikely it might be. But we shouldn’t completely rule it out either. My opponent had no idea that he was already facing the Senju clan heir, because of my appearance. But it’d just be that they weren’t informed about it on purpose because it’d give away that the traitor would be among the Senju and not more likely among the Uchiha. After all, only a Senju knows how I truly look.” Tobirama explained.

“Which means, even if the attackers had been hired by an Uchiha, a Senju could still be involved.”

“Yes, but the Uchiha could also have still mentioned it to direct the attention fully on the Senju.”

“Which means further, that no matter how you spin it you can’t rule out any option. A Senju might have not told them about your appearance to direct the attention away from that possibility while an Uchiha would mentioned it to do same just in vice versa.” Touka summarized.

“Indeed. There are many ways to hide your involvement if done correctly. Be that as it may, we must also consider the possibility that there are traitors among both clans. We all know that they are people among our two clans that still don’t like the idea of having a ceasefire or peace.” Tobirama stated matter-of-factually while picking another piece of his Yakitori.

“Maybe that’s the reason why not only Hagoromo were involved but Shinobi from other countries as well. Hm. Two separate hirings?”

“Possible. Ask the prisoners. We’d muse about it all day without coming to a result. I just wanted to remind you that whatever they say, we shouldn’t just swallow it as given. Captured Shinobis can still lie after all.” Hashirama nodded and finished his tea.

“I’ll go then. As soon as I have some answers I’ll be back.” He stood and was almost out when Touka put her own teacup on the table.

“I come with you. Tobi can take a nap in the meanwhile.”

“I’m not a child.”

“But you aren’t an adult either. So, listen to the grownups and go to bed. Even someone blind can feel how close you are from passing out.” Touka teased, and then laugh when Tobirama tried to fight a yawn.

“I’ll be eighteen in two weeks.”

“And? You still have two years until majority. So, listen and go to bed.”

“Tsk. I’m not done eating yet.”

“Stubborn little bastard.” Touka threw her hands up into the air and then left while Hashirama still watched his brother, who was deciding what to pick next from his dishes, which was less than it might sound.

The winter was hard, and there weren’t many opportunities to go hunting. Their storage supplies were swindling and if they weren’t careful they might run out before winter ends. So Touka and Hashirama both minimized their share of food if it meant more for Tobirama who needed it more than them, especially after losing so much weight due to his pregnancy nausea.

It was only when Tobirama picked and put a roll of sushi into his mouth that he noticed his brother still standing at the entrance to the living room.

“What?”, he asked with his mouth full.

“Nothing. I was just reminded of something. Is it okay if we leave you? I thought you were done as well.”

“It’s fine Anija. Go and have some fun with the prisoners. I’ll clean up and then lay down. Don’t worry.” Tobirama waved him off and picked another sushi roll.

“If you say so. See you later.”

Outside, Touka was waiting for him with eyes directed on the ground and a frown on her face. When she heard him coming she lifted her head and said, “It’s funny how someone could forget that he’s a pregnant teenager. God, Hashirama. It’s meant like a teasing, because most of the time he behaves like someone far older than he actually is, but then he suddenly behaves like a brat that reminds you that he’s only seventeen, almost eighteen, and that he’s not even considered an adult for two more years.”

“I know what you mean. We may mature much faster because of our Shinobi nature, but it doesn’t change the fact that by law he’s still a minor. Hell, I was just a minor when I became a clan head, which automatically made me an adult. But even that doesn’t change the fact that I was just a teenager until I turned twenty some months ago. We are all so fucking young Touka, and to think that even Tobi has already passed the half of a Shinobis expected life span, it makes me sick. And what makes me even more sick is that someone had put an additional target on his back.”

“If they know that he’s pregnant then others might know as well by now.”

“Exactly. But I still have hope that they might have not known, and, as shitty as it sounds, only came in the attempt to kill him to weaken us or something.”

“Let’s find out then and see if our guests are able to enlighten us.” Hashirama nodded with a serious expression and together they walked to where the prisoners were held captive.

“By the way, I liked your little display yesterday. Maybe it’ll let them think twice if they want to try something like this again. Why haven’t you just killed them all at once before they could split up?”

Hashirama frowned, “Because of the two I was fighting. Had I tried to kill all of them, I might have accidently killed you or the others. Those two needed my full concentration. And just for your information. I just can’t kill a group of shinobi that are constantly moving.”

“And yet, it was no problem when you joined the fight at the compound.”

“Well, they haven’t seen me coming. I had no one to distract me, and they were so nice and didn’t move, not much at least.” Hashirama gave Touka a mischievous smile, which she responded with her own.

----

“How did it go, Madara?”

“We killed most of them. Though, we only intervened when Hashirama called us for help because some of the intruders had split up from the group and run off to the Senju compound, because when I arrived, Hashirama just said “Tobirama is in danger” and run off while leaving me to the two Shinobis he was fighting and whom I can only guess have been from the land of lightning.”

“Land of lightning?”

“Yeah. From the looks they have been brothers and not to be underestimated. Though they were quick to run off when it became clear they were losing. Two of the Hagoromo could escape as well. The Senju took one prisoner, everyone else had been dead by the end.”

“Have you heard anything of those that run off to the Senju compound?” Madara tensed, which didn’t go unnoticed.

“What is it?”

“Well, to be honest. It was Hashirama’s…little warning that ended the fight.”

“A warning? What warning?”

“How does a dead man, impaled by a vine through their mouth sounds to you?” Tajima’s mouth dropped, not expecting to hear something like this. It took him a few seconds to composure himself.

“I guess…”, he started carefully, “…Hashirama-sama saw the need to make sure his enemies understood what it means when they attack his home.”

“Yeah, which should convince everyone who doubted his words before, that he wasn’t kidding. He will kill everyone who threatens his brother without mercy.”

“I see.” There was a long tense silence settling between them before Madara decided to change the topic.

“Father. When Hashirama checked you he found out that you aren’t suffering from just a cold, but…” Tajima held up his hand to stop his son.

“I know.”

“You know?” Tajima nodded.

“I know. To be precise, I know about my chakra illness for three years now.”

“Three years? Why haven’t you told us? Is it the real reason why you made me clan head?”

“Hm, to be honest I hadn’t expected to live so long. I thought I’d die in one of my battles with Butsuma, we were equal after all. It’d have been just a matter of time before one of us would have landed the final blow, maybe killing each other at the same time. I was truly shocked when I heard about his death. I didn’t even think about my illness when I made you clan head. I just saw the opportunity. I know how unusual it is. Normally, you’d have been become clan head after my death, but nowhere is written that a clan head can’t turn down their title to the next in line when they deem it to be the right time.” Tajima took a sip from his tea Madara had made for him.

“It doesn’t matter that you have been a minor in the eyes of civilian laws. We are Shinobi. Our lives are short. And with Hashirama becoming a clan head, it was time for me to step down. I had no idea how to handle him.”

“Tsk. You just didn’t want to deal with him. That’s all.” Madara snorted in response.

Tajima chuckled before turning serious again. “Madara, I didn’t lie to you. I meant what I said. I truly hoped you’d be better suited in accepting his offer of peace. I have fought far too long, and even allowed Yashiro to create the child hunter squads. I’m not even sure if Hashirama would have ask for peace if it had been me standing in front of him.”

“Hm, true. I know that I wouldn’t have if Butsuma was still clan head, insane or not. The only person I trust among the Senju is Hashirama, and maybe his brother, the letter also only because I know now what he had done. Before that? Never. And maybe this is also the reason why I wasn’t convinced that peace was a possibility. Because trusting one person hasn’t been enough.”

Tajima sighed, “I think we discussed it often enough. We haven’t been ready for peace, but now we are. Most are ready to follow and support you, especially now after the Senju had come to help us.”

“Yeah, and someone used it to attack Hashirama’s home while he wasn’t there. What do you think was the first thought of the Senju?”

“Betrayal. We and them were the only people who knew about the Senju clan head’s visit.” Madara let out a humorless chuckle.

“This would have been our first thought, yes. And how would we have reacted?” Tajima frowned.

“Well, I for sure hadn’t ask for any help from people I thought they just betrayed me.”

“Me neither. But Hashirama did, without hesitation he accepted my offer to help him fight this opponent if needed. He even gave us permission to enter their territory. His only thought at that moment was to go and protect his clan, or to be more precise, his brother. He trusted me enough not to attack the members of his clan while he ran after those who threatened to attack his home.”

“He’s having truly a unique personality. At one moment he behaves like a four-year-old child, and the next he turns to a deadly weapon.”

“Right.” There was a moment of silence before Madara said in a monotone tone, “He killed Butsuma.”

Tajima choked and spat out the tea he was about to swallow. “What?”

“Yeah, exactly my reaction as well. Butsuma must have been a bigger monster than we thought. He was close to kill his own son, Tobirama, when Hashirama killed him. Can you imagine it? Killing your own father in the attempt of saving a sibling? I can’t stop thinking what it must have done to him, mentally I mean. When we met first he was a sulking mess but turned to a more high-spirited nature within a blink of an eye, not very different to what he displays today. But there is something darker in him that hadn’t been there before, or maybe it was always there, and I just didn’t notice.”

“Well, we all have something dark inside us. It’s just the question if you can control it or if you let it rule you.”

“He’s good in controlling it. But I also fear what might happen when he loses that control.” A shiver runs down their spines when imagining a Hashirama out of control.

“Let’s hope it will never happen.” Madara laughed at that.

“I don’t doubt it’ll happen one day, father. Except maybe, he dies before his brother does. But should Tobirama die before him then Hashirama will probably lose it completely. You’d have seen him all those months ago. You’d have seen his face only hours ago. If I wouldn’t know better I’d think Hashirama and Tobirama are true mates or something. Tobirama might survive his brother’s death, I can’t truly tell, but Hashirama?” Madara shook his head. “We can truly be lucky he hadn’t died on the spot when Haro stabbed him.”

Tajima sighed, exhausted. “You’ll have to train, Madara. You’re the only one capable enough to come close to his strength. You have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. May it be in case of the ceasefire comes to an end or…”

“I get it.” Madara interrupted before Tajima could finish. “I’m just not sure if I’ll ever be an equal to him, in strength I mean, less surpass him. You ask me once if we’d take them. You remember, when you and Izuna followed me to the Naka River where I met with Hashirama. If anyone would ask me the same question right now, my answer would be the same as it had been back then. ‘No, Hashirama is stronger than me.’, and I don’t know if it will change. However, there is a better way to make sure Hashirama won’t lose it. Keep the one thing he treasures the most alive.”

“His brother.”

“His brother.” Madara repeated in agreement.

Tajima coughed after taking another sip of his tea, and then said, “It’s funny how things are turning out, don’t you think? Who has thought that one day we might speak about protecting a Senju, the clan heir no less.”

“Yeah.” Madara shifted, gaze drifting to one of the walls with a faraway look in it. Tajima observed his son. In the past months, Madara grew faster than all the months and years before. Gone was the boy who listened to every word his younger brother was sprouting and who hid his own true desires. Tajima knew Madara never truly gave up on his dream of peace and that despite his attitude never truly hated the Senju, unlike Izuna who at first seemed to have warmed up to the idea after reading some of the exchanged letters, but then turned back to his usual disgruntled self whenever a topic involved the Senju.

It had gone even so far that he had started avoiding Kagami who loved talking about the letters he received from Tobirama and always wore the gifted scarf since he got it.

Izuna had even cursed Madara for letting the Senju inside their home. Tajima had no idea where all this hate came from. And it worried him. He wasn’t sure if Izuna would ever accept the peace between Senju and Uchiha.

The voice of Madara pulled Tajima out of his thoughts, “Father. Hashirama knows about the blindness that comes with the Mangekyō Sharingan.”

“I see.”

“He promised not to tell anyone about it, but he asked if he could inform his brother.”

“His brother, why?”

“As it seems, Senju Tobirama isn’t just a Shinobi, but also a healer, though Hashirama told me Tobirama thinks differently. But to invent the kinds of jutsus to heal a person you need to be a healer. You need to understand how the body of a person works.”

“Indeed. His chakra control must be impressive, even more so than we thought, if he’s inventing so many kinds of jutsus.”

“Tsk. Impressive is an understatement if you ask me. He even managed to teach himself fūinjutsu. Can you believe it? And I start to believe that some of Hashirama’s own used jutsus had been the idea of his brother, even when he isn’t a Mokuton user himself.” Tajima carefully placed the cup of tea on the ground before he’d let it fall.

“Now than ever, I think offering a ceasefire was a very good idea. If what you say is true then it might have been indeed just a matter of time before we stood against an enemy we have no chance of winning against. Fūinjutsu isn’t something you just teach yourself.”

A knock interrupted the silence that had settled after that.

“Come in.” Madara called. The Shoji opened and revealed a worried looking Sango.

“Sango? What is it?”

“Have you seen Kagami?”

“Not since breakfast. Why?”

“I can’t find him anywhere. And I found this on his futon?” Sango handed a short note to Madara, who immediately jumped into action.

“Madara? What?” Tajima asked alert.

“Kagami is gone.”

“Gone? What do you mean by gone?”

“Not here. Damn it. I can’t feel him. He must be out of reach already.”

“Do you think he’s truly trying to reach the Senju?” Sango asked anxiously.

“It’s what his note his implying, so yes. There is no other reason why he’s out of the compound, except someone took him. But in that case, there wouldn’t be a note.”

“So, what do we do? Most are still fighting off the last remnants of illness or are on patrol.”

“That’s why I’m going alone. He’s only a four-year-old boy. He can’t be far away yet. Maybe just a little outside of my reach.”

“Should I send a letter to the Senju?”

“Yes. If he’s truly trying to reach them, then they need to be informed.” Madara slipped into his shoes and without any further word left.

Back, in Tajima’s room, the man took the note that laid forgotten on the ground and read the short note.

Tobi-okaasama needs me

Tajima choked in a breath at the phrase. ‘Tobi-okaasama? Since when is Kagami referring the Senju as okaasama? As far I know he always calls him Tobi-sensei. No matter. I hope Madara will find the boy before someone else does.’ Tajima sighed. ‘We should have expected something like this might happen. Kagami can be as stubborn and reckless as anyone else in this family even if he’s just four.’ 

Tajima turned his eyes outside the window, louder he said, “I hope the approaching snowstorm will not hit until Madara and Kagami are back.”

-----

¹Yakitori is the Japanese version of grilled fish, meat and vegetable skewers.

Chapter Text

It must have been an hour after Touka and Hashirama left when Tobirama was woken up by a knock. A little dazed he wasn’t sure if his mind was playing tricks but when a second knock sounded through the house, Tobirama groaned into wakefulness. He was still in the living room where he must have fallen asleep after finishing his meal.

With another groan followed by some painful coughs he heaved himself up from where he was sprawled on the ground and with a big yawn walked to the Shoji that led to the garden. He shoved the Shoji to the side and immediately recognized the messenger hawk from the Uchiha.

“Hm? I’m sorry, Hashirama isn’t here.” He rasped. The bird looked unimpressed and just hopped on Tobirama’s shoulder. It stretched out the leg with the message tied on it.

“Oh, is it about the contract? Hashirama and our healers left very suddenly, after all. Maybe they are still in need of them?” Tobirama mused while taking the scroll in hand, unwinding it. “Or is Madara just impatient and wants to kn…” Tobirama stopped is mumbling when the message fully hit him. Kagami was gone.

Without hesitation Tobirama spread his senses as wide as he could. He felt Hashirama and Touka in one of the holding cells, interrogating the Hagoromo prisoner whose chakra was bound. He didn’t linger and ignored all the other chakra signatures close by and instead let his senses spread further and further until he reached the Uchiha compound.

For ten minutes he searched for the faint firecracker chakra that was Kagami’s but didn’t find him anywhere within the compound, confirming that Kagami seemed truly to have left the safety of his clan. He withdrew from the Uchiha compound and instead tracked down Madara’s wildfire of a chakra signature that he had briefly passed when reaching out.

The man was running in direction of the west side Senju border, though Tobirama wasn’t so sure if Kagami knew where he was going. Therefore, Tobirama stretched his senses to cover more ground in his search.

To his surprise, the boy was very close to the Senju border. It wouldn't be long, and Kagami would reach the south-west border of Senju land. Tobirama wasn’t sure about Madara’s sensory range, but the boy must be outside of it or else Madara would already have changed directions.

Not that the man would reach Kagami in time. It must have been hours until someone noticed the boy’s missing. Which let Tobirama’s omega snarl at the mere thought that the Uchiha would leave a child alone for hours without checking on them in regular short intervals.

Before he knew what he was doing, Tobirama had changed into the warmest clothes he had with his fur tightly wrapped around his neck and lower part of his face. In his travel pack he put three of his mission blankets instead of just one and he also snatched some of their food rations just in case he wouldn’t be able to make it back before the snowstorm hit.

Deep down Tobirama knew he’d inform Hashirama and let him handle it, but his omega was screaming at him. There was a pup out there, all alone and in danger, his pup. Tobirama froze at the thought. Kagami wasn’t his. His pup was growing inside him. The only pup that he might ever bear in his life and that he’d still lose when not being careful.

But Kagami. Kagami was also a pup, an innocent pup that accidentally imprinted on Tobirama. A pup, that had wiggled its way into Tobirama’s heart even if they only exchanged notes and blank…

Tobirama looked down at the blankets. Of course, how could he have not noticed it. Kagami’s scent was all over the blankets as well when they came back. He must have imprinted Kagami as his pup.

A pitiful whine escaped his mouth, and his scent took on a bitter note, giving away his distress. Automatically his chakra reached out to the only source that could comfort him, and it didn’t even take two minutes when he was engulfed by two strong arms and pulled into a warm chest.

“Shhh, otouto. I’m here.”, came the whispered words shortly after. “Take some deep breaths. That’s it. You’re safe.”

“Anija.” Tobirama whined.

“Shh, shh. Tell me what’s wrong. Why are you looking like being prepared to leave?”

“Ka-ga-mi. Need to save Kagami.”

“Kagami? What happened? He was fine when I last saw him.”

“He…left the Uchiha compound.”

“What?” Tobirama fumbled for the letter and showed it to Hashirama, who was quick to read it.

“Oh, otouto. It’s not your fault.”

“But he left to see me…I…”

“Tell me where he is. I promise nothing will happen to him.”

“He’s not far away from our border. South-west. Madara is searching for him, but he’s heading in the wrong direction…he won’t reach him. Too far away. Why haven’t they looked after him?” Hashirama’s heart broke at hearing the desperate tone in his brother’s voice.

“Maybe they thought he was sleeping.”

“It’s the middle of the day, Hashirama. And he must have left after breakfast.” Hashirama opened his mouth but found no words. His brother was right after all.

“I don’t know Tobi. But I’m sure they didn’t do it on purpose. Many are still fighting off the last remains of the illness. And those helping in the fight must be still exhausted.”

“Still.”

“I know, I know. Shh. Let me handle it. Should Kagami-kun be on Senju land if I find him, I’ll bring him back to our home. Okay?”

“You can’t. You need to give him back.” Tobirama breathed through gritted teeth. “Remember. It’s part of the ceasefire. Any child has to be returned back immediately and unharmed.”

“Right. You said Madara is searching for him?” Tobirama nodded.

“Yeah, but he’s heading more to the north of our border.”

“I see.”

“You’ve to hurry, Anija. There is a snowstorm approaching.” Tobirama warned and then was quick to put off the thick fur around his neck to give it to Hashirama, who froze in shock. Tobirama never parted from his fur. “Should it reach you before you return then the fur will help to keep you and Kagami warm. I also packed some blankets and what little we have on ration-bars.” Hashirama’s expression turned fond, and he pulled his brother into another hug, giving him a kiss on his head.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible. I promise.” Tobirama nodded and then watched his brother leave.

After half an hour has passed, Tobirama could feel Kagami crossing the invisible line that separated Senju and Uchiha territory. The boy seemed to hesitate for a moment but continued his way more determined than ever. Tobirama could only guess that the thick forest in front of him must have intimated the little pup. He had to admit that it made him a little proud of the pup, who was only four years old. It wouldn’t surprise him should Kagami present as an alpha.

As soon as Kagami crossed the border, Hashirama also slightly changed direction, indicating that he too felt it through his connection with the plants and trees that marked the land as Senju territory.

“Tobirama?” Touka called. She had returned shortly after Hashirama left the compound. Tobirama had briefly explained what was going on and received no protest from Touka. Not that he had expected any complaints from her. She just gave him a slight squeeze on the shoulder and said she would prepare some tea.

“Kagami is no longer on Uchiha land. It shouldn’t take Anija more than another thirty minutes to reach him.” Tobirama sipped on his tea and coughed slightly into his hand. Touka looked a little worried at him, but Tobirama waved her off.

“What about Madara?” She asked then.

“He must have felt Kagami about ten minutes ago. He had changed his course, but he’s also slowing down. I assume that he’s already fighting against the incoming storm.” Tobirama answered a little breathlessly.

“Which means Hashirama might not make it back if he’s still so far away from his target.” Touka stated.

“It depends on how strong the storm actually will be and how fast it’s approaching. It’d just be that Madara is aware that Kagami is out of his reach now that he’s no longer on his land.”

“How far exactly is he away?”

“Two miles from where Kagami has crossed the border. I assume Madara’s sensory abilities have a range of two or three miles, depending on if he’s concentrating on one direction or several.”

“Similar to you, just that your range is much higher than his in general.”

“Yeah.”

“Why don’t you distract yourself with something, maybe making a few adjustments to your nest?”

“Huh? Why? There’s nothing wrong with my nest. Or are you planning to join it?”

“What? No.”

“Are you sure? You have that look sometimes.”

“What look?”

“The look of jealousy whenever you come in my room and see Hashirama. You’re looking like you want to join.”

“Tsk. Don’t be ridiculous. I wouldn’t find any sleep with Hashirama’s snoring attacking my eardrums.”

“Hm? I’d swear your snoring is even louder than his.”

“Wh…Take that back immediately. I’m not snoring.” Touka protested in fake outrage.

“I can hear it through the wall, you know, which means you’d hear Hashirama’s snoring as well if he’s louder than you, but you seem not to hear him above your own snoring.”

“You…brat. Show some respect.”

“What does telling the truth have to do with showing respect?” Tobirama smirked and then yelped when a fist collided with his shoulder. “Hey. Pregnant omega. Be careful.” Tobirama rubbed the spot where Touka had hit him while giving her the best scowl he could manage.

“Pregnant omega, my ass. If you can’t even handle a clap to your shoulder than you must be more fragile than we thought.” Touka huffed, and then took a sip from her tea. Tobirama followed her example before his gaze turned inward again.

“The little one must be close to freezing.” Touka said after a minute of silence.

“Uchiha run hotter than other people. And if he put on enough warm clothes then, with a little luck, he won’t suffer from hypothermia. I know that I wouldn’t have lasted even twenty minutes in such weather if I’d have left the compound at his age, no matter if I wore warm clothes or not.”

“Only because of your chakra nature. As Suiton user your body temperature is lower than that of other people.”

“That and because I was born with a weak body.” Tobirama frowned. “I hope my child won’t inherit any of my weaknesses.”

“Hm. I hope it won’t inherit the looks of the sperm donor. I’d like to see a little mini-you run around.”

“Doesn’t matter how they look or which gender they have. I’m just hoping they will be healthy. And I’m worried I might fail them already.” Touka reared back at the admission.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Besides, Hashi and you said nothing is wrong.”

“Yes, but I’m still worried. I’m four months pregnant and still flat like nothing was growing in there.” Tobirama looked at his belly and slightly poked at it. “I have seen omega’s who has shown much more at this stage.”

“Maybe, but don’t forget that they all have been female omegas. And I can tell you that I have met a few that were five months pregnant and just started to show. And look at the omegas in our clan. From what I have observed, each pregnancy is different. Some have suffered from morning sickness much longer than others. Then there were those who had been in labor for almost forty-eight hours while others barely had time to truly understand what was happening before they held their crying infant in hand.” Touka leaned into Tobirama’s space and put her hand over his.

“Don’t worry. As long as you feel no distress coming from the little one, they are fine.”

“It feels surreal. I never expected to have a pup on my own, and now I may have even two before I can be considered a full adult.”

“Two?”

“Kagami. My omega is screaming for the pup. I just realized that by exchanging blankets it wasn’t just me sending my scent over to the Uchiha, but that with each return of a used blanket, Kagami’s scent was all over it as well. You can even say our scents became mixed up. I think that’s the reason why my omega decided Kagami’s our pup, my pup.”

“Huh. Makes sense. You always looked like a pleased cat when unpacking the returned blankets. Sometimes, I’d hear you purring. And I’m very certain I saw one or two of those returned blankets within your nest.” Tobirama stared at Touka wide-eyed.

“Shit. Since when am I doing that?”

“You didn’t notice?”

“No? Oh Kami, I’m such a fuck up omega.” Tobirama groaned, putting his head into his hands.

“Stop saying such stupid things. You have been raised like an alpha and never truly learned how to be an omega. You never had a parent-child bond, not even with your mother. So how would you know that you formed such a bond with a pup whom you met only once, and those months before the bond even formed. And seriously, I didn’t even know it was possible to form a bond by just exchanging some smelly blankets. Yes, I know it’s a typical practice to find out if two people are compatible as mates, especially if one or two clans are planning an arranged marriage, but forming a parental-child bond? That can’t be done just by scent.”

“Hm. Kagami already imprinted me as his parent. And knowing that, maybe my omega just decided to accept him as pup?” Touka shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not an expert. Asked one of the healers or maybe someone who also adopted a pup, though I’m not sure if they will be of any help. Any adopted pup among our clan has been adopted by family members. Maybe you’re interpreting too much into it and it’s just your omega instinct in general that hates that a pup is out there, completely alone and without any protection. I mean you saved dozens of children over the years without forming any bond with them.”

“Hm. That’s true. But it feels different when it comes to Kagami.”

“Of course, it feels different. You exchange letters and send blankets with your scent on them so he wouldn’t suffer from separation-syndrome, which I may point out, you’re not suffering from.”

“Well, I hadn’t any bond with Kagami. So of course I wouldn’t suffer from it. And then we were exchanging blankets and other stuff with our scents on it, so maybe my omega saw no reason to be distraught that he wasn’t with us. And he was with his family, his true family. Still, it doesn’t explain why I’d add any blankets with his scent into my nest if I wouldn’t consider him at least a part of my pack.”

“A pack bond is not the same as a parent-child bond. However, I think it doesn’t matter. If you don’t have a parent-child bond with Kagami yet, then I’m sure you’ll have it if you meet this little stripling.” 

“Hm…I…don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

Touka sighed. “I run you a bath. You need to relax, Tobi.”

“Uh…sure. Thank you, Touka.”

Fifteen minutes later Touka came back and found Tobirama with his elbows on the table and his head leaning on his fists.

“Bath is almost ready, Tobi.” She didn’t receive any response and stepped closer. Just when she put a hand on his shoulder, Tobirama suddenly started falling.

“Tobirama.” Touka called alarmed, barely managing to grab his arm to soften the fall and to prevent his head from meeting the edge of the table. Even if he was sitting, falling uncontrolled could cause serious damage, especially in case of possible head injuries.

As soon as Tobirama lay on his side, Touka moved Tobirama on his back. It took her only a couple of seconds to realize something was seriously wrong. Tobirama’s eyes were closed, his breath was swallowed, and he was soaked in sweat.

“Damn it, Tobirama. Don’t tell me you have used chakra the entire time to track Hashirama, Kagami and Madara.”

“....”

“Shit. I need to call a healer. You start burning up.” Touka wasted no time and run off to the healer’s facility, where she found elder Yumiko explaining something to the younger healers.

“Yumiko-sama. Please, I need help. It’s Tobirama. Something is wrong.” Having heard her name being called, the elder had turned to Touka with a slight frown, but when she heard Tobirama’s name her eyes widen in worry.

“Touka? What do you mean, something is wrong with our heir. What happened?”

“I don’t know. I was running a bath for him and wanted to pick him up, but he didn’t response. When I touched his shoulder he fell, I…I think he overused his chakra. He…”

“Falling? Is he injured?” Yumiko interrupted in a more alert tone.

“No, I’d grab him before…listen. He’s barely conscious and I’m very sure he has a fever. Please, just come with me.”

----

A sigh left elder Yumiko’s mouth, leaning back on her feet.

“How is he?” Touka asked, standing slightly behind the kneeling woman.

“The good news are that Tobirama-sama didn’t seem to suffer from the flu. The bad news, he’s suffering from chakra exhaustion. It’s not as bad as it had been all those months ago, but it’s still too low for my taste. But much worse, he has pneumonia.”

“Shit. The baby?”

“Holding on.” Yumiko covered Tobirama with his thick fur blanket and stood from beside his nest. “Touka. This is bad. His body is fighting the infection, that’s why he’s also chakra exhausted. I already gave him some medicine and used my own chakra to help with the infection, so his chakra exhaustion wouldn’t worsen.”

“How so? I don’t understand.”

“Touka, when Tobirama-sama was mortally wounded, he barely had any chakra left. It was only thanks to Hashirama-sama that he and the baby didn’t die. And since then, his chakra reserves never returned to their usual capacity. One, because his body was, still is, recovering, and second, because the baby is constantly feeding on it, which is completely normal. And it wouldn’t usually be a problem either. A baby only takes what their parent can offer, something you would barely notice if your chakra reserves are full. However, the more chakra you use the less you can offer, and at a certain point a miscarriage is unavoidable.”

“What about people with no chakra, how does it work then?”

“All people have chakra, Touka. It’s just that most either don’t have the necessary chakra reserves to perform the simplest basic jutsus or plainly decide it’s not worth the effort to explore it, because they don’t want to become a Shinobi. Of course, it doesn’t mean someone with low chakra reserves can’t bear a child with more chakra reserves, even if it’s very uncommon. However, at the end, it all comes down to the bloodline. Look at Hashirama-sama. Neither Butsuma nor his wife had the Mokuton, but it was in the bloodline. The same goes for Tobirama-sama’s natural sensor abilities, which I might remark are stronger than those of other natural sensors I ever heard of. Each person’s chakra is unique, but those of the same bloodline or clan share similar chakra signatures.”

“I know. It’s the reason why Tobirama knew that most attackers had been from the Hagoromo clan, or that some had been from the lightning and water country.” Touka sighed. “Isn’t there something we can do to strengthen his chakra though?”

“The only way to do it would be via a chakra transfusion, but for that you need someone with huge chakra reserves that can match Tobirama-sama’s or exceed them.”

“I think Hashirama has plenty chakra to spare.” Touka scoffed.

“True. But there would be also the question about compatibility. You know, like you can’t just use anybody’s blood for a blood transfusion.”

“So, you mean we’d need someone who’s chakra nature is the same as Tobi’s?”

“Or at least similar enough. Hashirama’s chakra nature is wood and water, so that might work. The main problem is that most of it is still just a theory. We haven’t tried it out yet, and I for sure didn’t want to try it on Tobirama-sama, not in his already weakened condition.”

“If you don’t know how it works, then how do you even know that someone with huge chakra reserves or compatible chakra is needed? Why do you even know it’d be possible in the first place?”

“Where do you think all the jutsus are coming from?” Touka flushed at the slight rebuke. “Tobirama-sama isn’t the only scholar within the clan and especially we, the healers, try to come up with ideas of new techniques that might save lives. And again, what I told you are theories, based on experience with other jutsus or like in this case how a blood transfusion works. Which I might add cost many lives until it was discovered that there are different kinds of blood, as I already mentioned.”

“Right.” Touka frowned. “I’m not a healer, so please explain to me how Tobirama hadn’t died from chakra exhaustion or lost the child after the battle with the Uchiha. I mean you said it was thanks to Hashirama, but I don’t quite get it, to be honest. What has he actually done?”

“What Hashirama-sama had done was to prevent Tobirama-sama's body to shut down. He used his chakra to mend the injuries enough that his brother wouldn’t bleeding out before he even reached the compound. After the surgery, he used his chakra to increase the speed of the healing process, which helped to stop Tobirama-sama's chakra from dropping to a level where all our efforts would have been useless. If you get injured, your body automatically starts to heal itself. For that a small part of your chakra is also used. Therefore, the bigger the wound, the more chakra is used to heal it. But if an outside force, us healers for example, steps in and helps to mend the wound, then the less chakra of the injured person is needed to take care of it.”

“Okay. I think I get it. Heal the body and you’ll prevent too much chakra of the injured or ill person is used to do it itself.”

“Correct. Tobirama-sama had already used a lot of chakra in the fight against Uchiha Izuna. When he got injured, his chakra level dropped even more due to the automatic response to heal the wounds. If he wouldn’t have such immense chakra reserves, he’d have died from chakra exhaustion on his way back to the compound, no matter if Hashirama-sama had stopped the bleeding or not. And that’s goes for the fetus as well.” Yumiko looked down at the sleeping Tobirama.

“Hm. If allow me one more question? 

“Sure.”

“You said Hashirama stopped the bleeding, why didn’t he just heal him completely? Why the surgery?”

“Because he lacks the needed chakra control. There is a difference between letting your own chakra regenerate your own body cells or using it on someone else. The first is an automatic process that you are often not even aware of. The second is the exact opposite. You need to know how the body functions and you need the necessary chakra control to not do more harm than good. Hashirama-sama has only enough control to close a wound but lacks the needed control for the finer works. And even as a healer with the necessary chakra control you still need to see what you’re doing, hence the surgery.”

“I see. And why did you remove a piece of Tobirama’s lung? You have the necessary chakra control, right?”

“Yes, but the damage was too great. The part I removed from Tobirama’s lung had been almost cut off completely by the sword. There was no way for me to reattach it and be done with it. And no matter my control, I don’t have the ability to regenerate a part of an organ, less a complete one.”

Both stared at Tobirama for a minute, before elder Yumiko’s eyes turned back to Touka.

“Touka. Tobirama-sama isn’t allowed to use any chakra until the end of the pregnancy. Any further use and it’ll not just kill the baby but him too. The baby is feeding from his chakra to develop their own chakra. And the stronger it gets the more it will feed. Which means it will only get worse the farther along he becomes. Do you understand?”

“Are you certain it’s necessary?”

“Yes. Absolutely. It’s a miracle that he and the fetus survived so far, especially the fetus. I have seen miscarriages where the mother did nothing but sit at the Kotatsu drinking tea when they were suddenly startled by sudden cramps. It just happened. Like it’s in most cases of miscarriage. That’s why I’m even more surprised that Tobirama-sama didn’t suffer one. Not that I wish it to happen, far from it. I pray that he’ll give birth to a healthy little girl or boy.”

“Do you still think something has been done to him to prevent a miscarriage? We are certain that’s not the seal, but there is still the question how no one had noticed he was…raped. You yourself said there weren’t any traces of rape on his body. And yet there was still the wound he received during the fight against those bloodline hunters. Why not heal him completely?”

“A question I cannot answer, I fear. I can only assume that whoever had interfered wanted Tobirama-sama to live. I very much doubt it was the Uchiha who had done that to him. Maybe it was another Uchiha, though I doubt that either. My only guess would be someone who might be interested in a child with Senju and Uchiha blood running through their veins. And the thought alone gives me goosebumps. I mean how high was the chance that something like this would happen? Did that person observe our Shinobis and waited for an Uchiha raping a Senju or vice versa? And if they truly waited for such opportunity why not killing the alpha and heal the omega completely? There are too many questions to which we have no answers.”

“Hm. When Tobi was…when it happened…he was outside of our territory. Otherwise Hashirama would have known what was happening. But it also means that he’d have felt it when someone entered with Tobirama. However, he only felt Tobi when he was close to the compound. That means whoever brought Tobirama home was able to hide themselves and Tobi from Hashirama.”

“A dangerous thought. You should speak with our clan head about it. If there is someone out there that is able to hide from Hashirama-sama and even Tobirama-sama then it’s possible that this someone is still close and waiting. Waiting for Tobirama-sama giving birth.”

“Shit. You’re right. But what do they want? They can’t just be a simple bloodline hunter, right?”

“Who knows? We should not rule anything out. It’s even possible that the Uchiha, how unlikely it is, has been manipulated to do what he did. We shouldn’t forget that other Shinobi with special skills exist. And who says there is only one person we’re speaking about.”

“Hopefully, Hashirama will be back soon.” Touka murmured, shaking her head to banish all these dreadful thoughts running through her head.

“If he’s not, make sure this stubborn child won’t look for him. I mean it Touka. If he wants this child…”

“He wants it. More than anything.” Touka interrupted a little more harshly than she intended. More softly she added, “Sorry. I‘ll keep an eye on him. Thanks, elder Yumiko.” The older woman nodded with a soft look.

“No need to apologize. I didn’t intend to imply that Tobirama-sama might not want his child, but I guess it started to sound like it. Anyway. If there are any changes, call me. Otherwise, I come back in an hour to check on him.” Touka nodded and then made it herself comfortable on the ground next to Tobirama’s nest, while Yumiko left without another word.

Chapter Text

As soon as he felt the chakra signature of a child crossing the border, Hashirama slightly changed direction and quickened his pace as much as he dared. On the way it had started to snow, at first just a few flakes here and there, but the closer he got to the border the more snow was falling.

When he finally reached Kagami the boy was a shivering mess with blue lips and a red nose, though he still had a determined look on his face. It was a look that reminded Hashirama of a younger version of his brother, even if Kagami looked nothing like Tobirama.

“Kagami-kun.” The boy’s head snapped up in a startled motion, though he also took in a defense fighting stance with a kunai in one hand. Hashirama was impressed, but the sight made him sad. Children of such age shouldn’t look like experienced warriors. And again, it reminds him of his younger brother, who was forced to fight the moment he could stand on his legs.

Sadness was replaced by a sudden spike of anger. Was Kagami also forced to train while barely able to stand? Hashirama shook his head. It doesn’t matter, not now. It was far more important to get the little one back to his clan and to safety.

“Kagami-kun. It’s me Hashirama.”

“Hashirama-sama?” The little boy slightly moved and looked the taller man up and down. He didn’t relax though, which Hashirama guessed was because most of his features were covered in clothes and by the thick fur around his neck.

“Yes.” Hashirama moved the fur so more of his face was revealed. “See. I’m your friend.” A wide grin spread on Kagami’s face when he indeed recognized the man.

“Hashi-ojisama.” Hashirama’s face also split into a big smile and only seconds later he was holding an excited Kagami in his arms. “Oh. You smell like Tobi-okaasama.” Kagami buried his face into white fur with a purr.

Hashirama patted Kagami’s head before he pushed him slightly away so he could look at him. “Kagami. Why aren’t you at home? It’s dangerous to be alone out here.”

With a pout Kagami answered, “I w’ted to see Tobi-okaasama. I was w’ried. ‘ou left suddenly and I heard ‘bout the attack. Is kaasan ‘kay?”

“Tobirama is fine. I made sure nothing happened to him. Still, you shouldn’t have left your family. They are worried. Madara is also searching for you. He shouldn’t be far away. I need to bring you back to him.”

Kagami shook his head. “I don’t want to. I want Tobi-okaasama.” With a sob Kagami planted his face back into the fur. Hashirama didn’t know what to do. He stood with Kagami in his arms for a couple of minutes, trying to calm down the boy while also finding out what would be the best.

Regarding the agreement of the ceasefire Hashirama needed to return Kagami immediately, but what if the little boy decided to try again? What if he manages to slip out of the Uchiha compound again and runs into bloodline thieves the next time? And what about Tobi? His baby brother looked and smelled so devastated.

Hashirama’s face was hit by a new torrent of snow that let him look up into the sky that turned darker and darker. He narrowed his eyes. The snowstorm was coming from the direction Kagami had come from, which means, Madara would probably be forced to find shelter soon if he hadn’t already done so.

Hashirama on the other hand would still be able to reach his own home, probably. And if not, he had enough supplies, thanks to Tobirama, to at least manage one or two days. He wasn’t so sure if it’d be the same for Madara.

Hashirama had no doubt that Madara could survive for a few days on his own, but with a toddler? He shook his head. He couldn’t risk it. He’ll take Kagami home. If the storm is over, he’d still bring him back.

The brunette nodded to himself. There was no further time to waste. Kagami was cold and needed to be somewhere warm, and that soon. With his decision made, Hashirama kneeled and put Kagami on the ground. “Listen Kagami, I’ll take you home, to the Senju, to Tobira.”

“R’ally.”

“Yes. But first.” Hashirama took the bag from his back and pulled out a blanket. “Let us wrap you up a little.” It took Hashirama only a few seconds to wrap up Kagami in the blanket. After another few seconds, the bag was back on his back and Kagami back in his arms, little legs wrapped around his chest and arms around his neck.

Just when he was ready to run, Hashirama froze. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with Tobirama. He tried hard not to let his distress be known through his scent, but Kagami still felt the sudden tension of his muscles.

“Hashirama-sama?”

“Hold on, Kagami. This will be a rough ride.” The little boy had no chance to ask what was going on, because only a second later Hashirama was jumping into the air and on a thick branch that had grown from one of the trees and that capitulated them several meters forward where another branch already grew.

It wasn’t the safest way to travel, especially not during a snowstorm and with a small child in arms, but Hashirama was determined to get back to his brother.

----

Madara run as fast as he could or more like as fast as weather allowed him to run. With each minute passing more snow fell and the wind became harsher. But what was more frustrating was the knowledge that Kagami must have been longer away than he thought, otherwise he surely would already have felt him.

Madara was the strongest sensor among his clan, almost equal to a naturally born sensor. Still, he regretted not having put more effort into increasing his sensing range. Even a non-naturally born sensor could become as good as a naturally born sensor if not even better. It just took more time to learn it.

For a second his thoughts drifted to Hashirama’s brother. One more time he wondered how good a sensor Tobirama was. From what he could guess so far, Madara could admit that no matter how long he’d train, he probably would never surpass Tobirama, not when he was right in his assumption.

It must have been another thirty minutes when Madara finally felt Kagami’s chakra. Inwardly cursing, he immediately changed direction, but he knew he wouldn’t reach him in time. Kagami was already too close to the border. It was only a matter of minutes until he would cross it.

The incoming snow also slowed him down, though it didn’t stop Madara from getting closer. Even if Kagami wasn’t longer on Uchiha land, Madara would still follow, even if it means to violate the terms of the ceasefire.

However, just when he was ready to cross the border himself, he felt it, him, Hashirama. There was no doubt about it. Madara’s steps faltered until he came to a complete stop on his side of the Naka River.

His gaze was directed at the thick and dark forest in front of him, and though he couldn’t see anything he knew the exact moment when Hashirama reached Kagami.

Expecting Hashirama to head in the direction of the border, it took Madara by surprise when the opposite was the case. Not five minutes after he had reached Kagami, Hashirama’s chakra signature faded into the distance, taking Kagami’s with him.

Why? Why was Hashirama doing it? Was Kagami injured? Madara haven’t felt anything wrong. A torrent of snow hit his face which was followed by cold realization. Kagami had been out for hours. The boy was only four years old. What if he was close to freezing to death?

Madara quickly shook his head. The little one is fine. There wasn’t anything in his chakra signature that indicated the opposite. But what if he just couldn’t feel it? There must be a reason why Hashirama took him instead of returning him.

Another torrent of snow hit him, and with that came another thought. Madara looked up into the dark sky. The snowstorm. Madara didn’t have anything with him. No supplies, nothing that would keep Kagami warm. And he wasn’t even sure if he would make it back. The snowstorm must have already fully hit the compound by now. And Madara had no idea how long it would last. It’d be days before he was able to return, days in which he wouldn’t be able to feed himself and Kagami.

“Shit. You stupid idiot.” Madara cursed himself. With a last glance at the Senju Forest, Madara turned and made his way back to the compound or at least to the next shelter he could find.

At least Kagami would be safe. Additionally, the little one will also finally meet his savior again. It was probably the best. Even if Hashirama would have returned Kagami, the boy would probably just find another way to escape. Kagami was much too intelligent for his age, and to Madara’s dismay more stubborn than even him.

Madara found a cave not far away from where he was and decided to stay there until the worst of the storm was over. It’d give him some time to think about what to tell the elders. He was sure Yashiro and Hjouske would try to use it to their advantage, see it as a violation of the ceasefire and call for their forces to be armed and to attack the Senju.

At the thought, Madara gritted his teeth. He needed to find a way to get rid of them. He was almost sure they had a part in the attack against the Senju. But he needed to prove it. The question was how. No one left the compound during the time Hashirama was there. And no one entered. However, there were other means to get out a message.

----

They didn’t manage to reach the compound, instead Hashirama was forced to find shelter within the roots of a tall tree when the last threads of light vanished and made any further forgoing much too dangerous while a snowstorm was raging.

He’d barely keep his mind on Kagami, who kept from asking any questions, ate some of the ration bars Tobirama had packed and luckily enough fell asleep quite quickly while snuggling into Tobirama’s white fur that Hashirama had taken from his shoulders.

Hashirama, on the other hand, was wide awake, even if tired. His worry about Tobirama was keeping him away from any thought of sleep and instead focused on the weak chakra presence that was his brother. It was stable though.

Hashirama wasn’t a sensor, not like Tobirama or other natural born sensors. It was only due to his Mokuton and his connection to the plants in their home, that he knew something was wrong with his brother.

If he wanted he could even reach out pass the Senju border and spy for anything suspicious happenings, but it was harder to do so when any kinds of plants hadn’t grown by his own Mokuton. And it was far too exhausting to keep an eye on everything outside Senju land, large chakra reserves or not.

After making sure Kagami was tugged safely into the warm fur and blankets, and no dangerous creatures lurking around, Hashirama closed his eyes and let his mind wander to the Senju’s main house, right where his brother was.

----

Touka re-entered her cousin’s bedroom and stopped in her tracks as she thought hearing someone calling her name. She leaned back so her head was outside the room and listened, but when she heard her name again she snapped back.

The low voice was definitely coming from inside Tobirama’s room. Cautious she stepped further inside, letting her gaze wander until it landed on the plant standing on Tobirama’s desk. It was moving.

Then Touka remembered her talk with Hashirama three months ago, about his ability to push his mind forward and connect with any plant within reach, that he’d see and hear everything around that plant.

“Hashirama?”

“Touka.” The bud grew and soon bloomed into a red flower, revealing Hashirama’s worried face in the middle and surrounded by red petals.

“Hashirama. You missed telling me that you could even communicate like that. I thought it was only observing and listening.”

“I didn’t know I can do it. Big difference, Touka. I had no reason to try it out before, but I’m glad it works.”

“Hmpf. I assume you won’t make it back?”

“No. The snowstorm was faster, and it got too dark to continue safely. We are currently hiding within the roots of a tree only thirty minutes away from the compound.”

“We?”

“Kagami is with me. And before you ask, I deemed it safer to take him with me than searching for Madara. I can’t imagine that Madara took anything with him in his haste to find the boy. I’m sure Madara will be fine for a night outside by himself, but I’m unsure if Kagami might have survived. He was already very cold when I found him.”

“I see.”

“Touka. What happened to Tobirama? I know something is wrong. Is…is the baby okay?”

“Yes, the babe is fine, at least for now.”

Flower-Hashirama closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief before he asked again. “What happened?”

“We were sitting in the living room, chatting. I offered to prepare a bath but when I returned he suddenly collapsed. I wasn’t aware that something was wrong, I mean there was some coughing, but I thought he had just choked on the tea. I called for elder Yumiko, and she examined him. Hashi, it’s bad. He’s suffering from pneumonia and chakra exhaustion. The latter is not as bad when he was injured, but his chakra reserves never truly recovered from it either, 1) because he’s still healing and 2) the babe is also feeding from his chakra.”

“Damn it. What else did she say?”

“That Tobirama isn’t allowed to use any chakra until he has given birth or else…” Touka didn’t finish, but the words were clear, even if not said out loud.

“I…I see.”

There was a pregnant silence until Touka said, “Yumiko-sama said that a chakra transfusion might help, but said it’d require someone with huge chakra reserves that can match or exceed Tobi’s, which means you. She also said that the chakra of both needs to be similar, which means also you. Maybe the nature of chakra doesn’t matter, but she isn’t sure and wouldn’t risk anything. And even if you’re back, she said we shouldn’t risk it, not while Tobi is pregnant, because it’s still all theory. They haven’t tried it out yet.”

“Understandable. I’ll talk to her when I’m back. If possible, I want to learn it, just in case.” Touka nodded in agreement. Better taking the risk than just watching. At least the first option increases the chance of survival while the second does nothing.

“When will you be back?”

“Tomorrow in the morning at latest. Should the snowstorm end, maybe earlier, but as long as it lasts I won’t move until it’s at least lighter outside. Would I be alone I might have taken the risk, but with Kagami I can’t do that. Neither Tobi nor Madara would forgive me if something happens to him.”

“Indeed. And it’d endanger the ceasefire. Try to find some rest Hashirama. I’ll watch over Tobirama. Yumiko-sama will come by for another check in an hour. I just escorted her out after her first check-in. Nothing has changed so far.”

“Okay. Thank you, Touka. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

----

Tobirama woke up groggy and dizzy, but also warm and with the feeling of being safe. He must have made a sound or tried to move, difficult to say if your brain is still fuzzy, because in the next moment, he heard the whispered voice of his brother in his ear.

“Tobirama. Kami be blessed. You’re awake.”

“H’shi?”

“Shhh. Everything is fine. Your baby is fine. Kagami is fine. Here drink that.” There was something pressed against his lips and Tobirama automatically took a few sips, while his eyes were still closed.

He coughed a few times after the cup was removed, and when he was able to breathe again, he asked with a frown, “K’g’mi?” Almost at the same time his brain finally restarted, and he remembered. With a start he opened his eyes wide, glad that the room was dark, and wanted to sit up, but strong arms were wrapped around him and pressing him tighter against a big warm body.

“Calm down, Otouto. There is no reason to panic. Everyone is safe.” A big hand moved to his forehead and then glowed green, causing his headache and dizziness to vanish in the next moment. There was also another green glowing hand on his chest and Tobirama couldn’t resist closing his eyes while sighing in relief, his body relaxing.

“Better?” Hashirama asked quietly.

“Hm, hm. W’t happ’d?”

“Well. You caught pneumonia and passed out from chakra exhaustion.” Hashirama explained what happened and what Yumiko told him and Touka. Tobirama listened and tensed when Hashirama told him that he wasn’t allowed to use any chakra.

“Anija, I. You know that I need…”

“I know, Tobi. But for your own sake and that of the baby you can’t, even the smallest use of chakra can be fatal at this point. Please Otouto.” Tobirama sighed. He hated to run around almost blind, but there was now use. Better to be blind for a few months than being dead or risking a miscarriage.

“Fine, Anija.” Tobirama wanted to move his hand but noticed that something had a tight grip on it. Slowly moving his head to see what it was, because it wasn’t his brother, he finally noticed that someone else was within his nest and it wasn’t Touka.

Snuggled against him was the blur of a small black-haired child. He couldn’t see much, but the scent alone was enough to recognize the child as none other than Uchiha Kagami.

“A-anija. You brought him here?” Tobirama whispered, not daring to move in fright he might wake up the kid.

“Hm? You mean Kagami? Yes, I brought him with me. Didn’t I mention it?”

“I think you missed that little detail. Why is he here? You know we had an agreement with the Uchiha. They will…”

“Shh. Nothing will happen. I sent a letter to Madara as soon as I came back and promised to return Kagami as soon as the snowstorm is over. I explained that I feared Kagami might not make it back to the Uchiha compound, that he was already very cold and short of risking getting pneumonia.”

“How long has it been since then?”

“Four days since I and Kagami arrived back. The snowstorm is still lasting, but it isn’t as bad as it had been two days ago. It’d stop soon.”

“Oh. And Kagami?”

“He’s worried, but fine. When Kagami and I returned we weren’t allowed to see you at first, because Yumiko-san feared you might get the Flu in addition should Kagami and I be infected with it. I had been already careless with being close to you after the attack. Kagami didn’t make a fuse, surprisingly enough if considered how bad he wanted to see you, but he took Yumiko’s explanation and warning very seriously.” Hashirama paused for a moment to take a sip from his own tea that stood next to the nest.

“When we were finally allowed to see you, he refused to leave your side again at first, but I’d convince him that you wouldn’t want him to neglect himself. So, there was no problem with him skipping meals or anything. He even helped with washing and changing you in some fresh clothes.” Tobirama groaned. Alone the thought was embarrassing.

Hashirama snickered, and said, “He finds you very pretty by the way, but don’t worry, I sent him away when it came to the more private matters.” Tobirama groaned even more. Of all these things this was one of the worst when being in a coma or unconscious for days. You have no control of your body, are completely helpless and you’ve to rely on others to clean you up, including the nasty stuff. He hated it.

“Thanks.” Tobirama mumbled.

“No problem, Otouto.” Hashirama whispered fondly and placed a kiss on Tobirama’s head.

Movement let them both focus back on the boy, who was slowly waking up from his nap. Tobirama wasn’t exactly sure how late it was, but his room wasn’t as dark as it would be during the night. So probably it was early in the morning or late afternoon.

Kagami slowly pushed himself up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, mumbling something that neither of them could understand. And there was a grumbling sound coming from the little one’s stomach.

Without thinking, Tobirama said, “Seems someone is hungry.” The boy froze and then slowly let his arms fall, staring widely with his mouth open into red eyes. Not a second later, the boy threw himself at Tobirama, who let out a slight “Uff” at the impact, but didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around the boy’s small frame, who was sobbing into his neck.

Luckily, Kagami had been mindful not to jump on Tobirama’s belly.

“Okaasan. ‘ou ‘re a’ke.” Tobirama’s own eyes widen in shock. Did Kagami just call him Okaasan? He slightly shook his head, deeming it not as important for the moment.

“Shh, shh. I’m here.”

“…’rried. ‘shi-oji ‘aid you ‘ill be ‘ine. B’t ‘ou w’oul’n’t w’ke. ‘an’t lose you. ‘please.” It took a moment to decipher what Kagami just said, but he was quite sure he got the meaning of the last part.

“Oh, Kagami. I wish I’d promise you not to lose me.” This wasn’t quite the right choice of words, because it caused Kagami to cry even more. A little helpless Tobirama turned his head to his brother, pleading him with his eyes to help him.

Hashirama shook his head in fond exasperation. Tobirama was always blunt in his statements even when talking to children. Mostly it wasn’t much of a problem, but well, it was one in situations like this.

Hashirama flipped a finger against Tobirama’s temple before he moved the hand further to rub Kagami’s head.

“Kagami-kun. You have to excuse my brother. He does not have the best social skills. What he actually meant was that he might not be able to promise you to live forever, but that he promises to do everything in his power to not leave you, us, anytime soon.”

“R’ally?” Tobirama was quick to nod.

“Yes. Believe me, there are so many things I want to do. I want to see my brother’s dream coming true. I want to see my own child growing up. And, even though you aren’t my child, I’d like to see you growing up as well.” Kagami tensed and began to withdraw while Hashirama nudged Tobirama in the side, a little harder as he might have intended if Tobirama's flinch is anything to go by.

Tobirama wasn’t sure what he said wrong. It was only when Kagami looked at him with teary eyes, saying, “’ou ‘ot ‘ant me?”, that it clicked.

“Oh. Uhm. Of course I want you. You’re a great boy. Everyone would be honored to call you their child.”, Tobirama hesitated for a moment, then added carefully, “Kagami-kun. I’d be honored to call you my son, but we need this to discuss with your clan head. I mean you’re very young, but I’m sure you had been told about our two clans, right?”

“Yes, but I don’t care.” Kagami sniffed and used his sleeve to remove the snot under his nose.

Tobirama didn’t know what to say to that. His brain was still a fuzzy mess, and he was too tired for such serious kind of conservation. So, he simply shrugged, reached out, leaned a hand on Kagami's cheek, and rubbed the tear-stained cheek with his thumb. Kagami responded by leaning his head further into Tobirama’s hand.

“You shouldn’t have left your home, little one. However, it feels good to see you again. I only hope no one within the compound caused you any trouble.” The little one shook his head.

“No. Everyone had been nice.”

Hashirama’s body began to shake, and then he whispered so Kagami wouldn’t hear him. “Touka made sure everyone behaved. Though, there weren’t many who Kagami actually met yet. Only some healers so far, because we wanted to be sure his trip didn’t cause any damage. He’s healthy.”

Tobirama gave a slight nod, his attention still on the boy who was explaining how he managed to sneak out of the Uchiha compound and how nervous and excited he was to finally meet him.

Several minutes passed like that until they all were reminded that it was time to eat something. And this time it wasn’t just Kagami’s stomach that grumbled but also Tobirama’s that was louder in its demand for food.

“Okay, time to eat something. I bring you a small snack and then prepare some soup. You two stay here.” Hashirama carefully moved from under Tobirama, who shivered from the sudden cold on his back. Then he was tugged back under thick fur and blankets, so that only his head was visible. Kagami was quick to snuggle into Tobirama’s side and the last what Hashirama heard before he was out of earshot was “You’re really pretty. And your eyes are as red as our goddess Amaterasu-sama’s.”

Chapter Text

For two days Madara was stuck in a cave. When he was finally able to return home he was immediately met with the question, “Where is Kagami?”, which he answered truthfully with “He’s with the Senju.”

Of course, it was Izuna who immediately started to curse and yell, that this was exactly what he feared. He even went so far and accused Hashirama to have bribed Kagami to leave the Uchiha compound on his own account, so no one could accuse him from openly kidnapping an Uchiha child.

Madara let him vent for nearly five minutes until he had enough. He was tired and wanted a hot bath.

“Hashirama did nothing wrong. It was the right choice. If he had handed Kagami to me then Kagami wouldn’t have survived the two days I was stuck in a cave. I had no supplies. I couldn’t even make a fire. And I have no idea in which state Kagami actually was when Hashirama found him. For all I know he might even be dead.” Madara said in a tone that made it clear that he had no interest in any further discussion.

It was Hikaku who was quick to interfere before the two brothers could explode.

“Madara-sama. We received a letter shortly before you arrived. From the Senju.” Madara turned his head to Hikaku, who pulled out the letter and handed it to him.

“Due to the circumstances, I allowed myself to open it.”

“You’re my heir. You’re allowed to open any letters in my absence.” Madara waved him off and slowly began to read the letter. When he finished, he sighed in relief.

“What do they say?” Sango asked.

“It is, as I suspected. Hashirama decided to take Kagami, because he wasn’t sure if I’d make it back to the compound. He wasn’t sure if I was properly equipped in case of being forced to find shelter somewhere in the open. And Kagami was already cold. He didn’t want to risk anything.”

“It’s just an excuse.” Izuna scoffed but startled when a hand was slammed on the table.

With a dark glare at Izuna, Madara added, “Hashirama says he will return Kagami as soon as the snowstorm is over. He apologizes that he didn’t do it immediately and that he had no intention of breaking the ceasefire. He promises and swears that nothing will happen to Kagami while being in his care.” Izuna hold Madara’s gaze for five seconds until breaking eye contact first.

“I will hear nothing about this matter, am I clear? If someone is to blame then it’s us. Kagami was only able to disappear because we left him unsupervised, and that for hours. Hours, in which he was able to reach Senju land before I could catch up with him. Stop blaming the Senju for what it’s clearly our own fault. Better be grateful it was Hashirama who found him instead of some filthy bloodline thieves or slavers. And I have enough of your stupid rants.” Without another word Madara stood and left for the bathroom. He just wanted a hot bath and then sleep.

Hikaku, Sango and the twins, who had all recovered from the illness watched Madara leave and then turned to Izuna with disapproving looks.

“You know, I understood why you resent the Senju, but not anymore. And I start to think that no matter how hard they try you’ll always try to see some sinister intention behind their actions. No one says to trust blindly or to let your guard down but accusing or blaming them for everything that goes wrong, will make you blind for what it’s truly going on, good or bad.” Sango said and then stood, leaving as well.

The twins left without saying anything, which left Hikaku alone with a scowling Izuna.

“How can they all be so…blind.” Izuna snarled then after a minute.

“Blind to what? That the Senju aren’t what we thought they are? That a Senju willingly marched into an enemy camp to save children? That a Senju willingly shared his scent to save one of our children? That the Senju offered willingly to help us with an illness that killed four people and infected more than half of our clan? I don’t know Izuna. What exactly are we blind to? For the first time since forever, I think we have a true chance for peace. I get that it’s hard to forgive, that many of our clan members lost their lives to the Senju, but we aren’t some innocent victims either. We killed as well. And the killing will continue, because the Senju aren’t our only enemy. And about Kagami? Why would Hashirama bribe him to leave the Uchiha? He has absolutely no reason to kidnap an Uchiha child. For what, if he already has a child with Uchiha blood within his clan, even if it’s not born yet.”

Hikaku leaned a little forward, staring at Izuna and when the younger finally meet his eyes, Hikaku added, “If the ceasefire fails our clan will die, sooner or later, but it will happen. If it won’t be Senju Hashirama who kills us, then those endless fights will drain our resources until nothing is left.”

“He’s only one guy. Why is everyone thinking he can kill an entire clan.” Izuna scoffed. “We are stronger.” Hikaku stared and then shook his head.

“You accuse us of being blind. But the one being blind and arrogant is you Izuna. You and everyone else who wants the ceasefire to fail.” With that Hikaku stood and left as well, leaving Izuna alone.

Izuna couldn’t believe it. He refused to think that his clan would die if the ceasefire fails. The Uchiha were the biggest clan within the fire country, and the oldest. There was no way that they could be defeated by one single man. Yes, Hashirama was strong, but even the strongest can be overpowered when fighting against several opponents at once. And with Hashirama out of the picture who else was there? The demon? Izuna scoffed. He was sure he could beat him. Often enough he was close to giving the final blow. There was no way that bastard was stronger than Izuna.

Kami, Izuna hated that damn demon. Izuna even wished that Haro wouldn’t have said anything and just killed that asshole, or better yet hadn’t intervened at all and let Izuna give the final blow. No one would have questioned it. They all would have celebrated the demon’s death and be done with it. Who cares if that damn idiot of a Senju clan head would have lost his mind. In his grief he would have been distracted enough to just stab or decapitate him. And with both of them gone, they could just have marched to the Senju compound and kill off the rest easily enough. And then they would have had their peace.

----

Hashirama came back with a tray of soup. While he was gone, Tobirama had moved so he was more in a sitting position and Kagami was sitting on Tobirama’s legs gesturing widely with his small arms.

“…and t'en Madara-sama created t'is 'uge fireball. 'ou'd 'ave seen it. I hope I can create a fireball like t'at someday.”

“Hm. If you train hard, I’m sure you will manage. And even if not, then you just create your own jutsu.” Kagami stared at Tobirama.

“My own jutsu?”

“Mn.”

“How can someone create a new jutsu?”

“It all starts with an idea. You could also take a jutsu already existing and try to improve it.”

“Will 'ou teach me?”

“I fear you’re a little young for some jutsu creation. And before that you also need to learn how to control your own chakra. But yes I can teach you.” Kagami lit up but then pouted.

“I suck at c'akra control.”

“Language.” Tobirama reprimanded, automatically.

“Hey, you two. Time to eat.” Hashirama interrupted then. Kagami turned and then moved so he was sitting in Tobirama’s lap, back to chest.

“Be careful, Kagami-kun.” Hashirama put the tray in front of the two, making sure it was close enough for Kagami to reach his bowl. Tobirama on the other hand was still too weak to hold his bowl so he had to rely on his brother to feed him.

When they finished, Hashirama put the tray to the side. “Do you need the fresher, Otouto?”

“Yes.”

“Kagami, would you please bring the tray back to the kitchen?”

“Yes.” Kagami stood and took the tray, which was a little big for him, but the little one managed anyway. With Kagami being out of the way, Hashirama helped Tobirama to stand up, an arm around his baby brother’s waist, who was weak on his legs.

“Ok?”

“Eh, just a sec.”

“I can carry you. You don’t need to push yourself.”

“I know, but…at least let me try to reach the fresher on my own two legs.” Hashirama nodded, but didn’t remove his arm around his brother’s waist, after all Tobirama didn’t mention to do it without any support.

Ten minutes later, Hashirama carried an exhausted Tobirama back to the nest, where Kagami was already waiting.

“Hey, Hashi. How late is it?” Tobirama asked when looking at the window.

“It’s just a little after lunch time.”

“Huh? I thought it’d be later or something close to dawn.”

“Nah. Due to the snowstorm it’s darker than it’d usually be.”

“Right. I forgot.” Tobirama looked at Kagami, who was staring at him.

“What is it Kagami?” The little boy startled and shook himself out of his daze.

“Ah. It’s nothing kaasan. Just…’hy do ‘ou two look so ‘ifferent? You’re b’others ‘ight?”

“Hm. That’s because I was born with a defect.”

“De’ect?”

“Tobirama.” Kagami and Hashirama asked and said at the same time.

Tobirama ignored his brother, who was helping him back into the nest, and instead explained, “I was born an albino. Those are people that are missing the needed skin pigment called melanin that gives your hair, skin and eyes their specific colors. That’s why my hair and skin look nearly white.”

“Have all a…al…albinos red eyes?”

“No. From what I know most have very pale blue-gray or pale rosa as eye color, or in a few cases even pale brown colored eyes. Mine are scarlet red.”

“Like Amaterasu-ōmikami.” Kagami nodded with pride. Kagami leaned forward and stared into Tobirama’s eyes, “Are ‘ou sure ‘ou’re an a..al…albino? I saw ‘eople with white hair and s’in but they haven’t been al…albinos.”

“Ah well, I am sure, because, for one thing, as you yourself have noticed, I don't look anything like my brother. Nor do I resemble any of the colors of my father or mother, though my mother was a Hatake with long silver hair, but hers were still much darker than mine and so are all silver haired Hatake.”

“Okay, but what ‘bout ‘our s’in?” Kagami pushed back his sleeve to show his pale skin. “Look, I’m almost as white as ‘ou.”

“That’s mostly because it’s winter and you’re less exposed to the sun.”

“But it’s same for ‘ou?” Kagami titled his head in confusion.

“True. But the difference is that my skin is very sensitive to sunlight. Where your skin might turn to a light brown, mine will turn tomato red within minutes. A very painful tomato red.”

“Buuut. Mine turns also tomato red, and it 'urts very much when I’m out too long.”

“Maybe you’re part albino then. But mostly it’s just a trait of your clan, like your black hair and eyes”, Tobirama ruffles Kagami’s hair, “Albinos are really rare, so not much is known about them except what causes their difference in color, and that most don’t grow very old. In fact, many die very young, mostly before they reach even your age.” Tobirama’s hand wandered to Kagami’s cheek, who stared at him in mild shock.

“You know, I had a little brother, Itama. When he was born the healers had been very irritated because one half of his hair was brown like Hashirama’s, while the other half of his hair was as silver-white as mine. They feared he might turn out like me, but except for his unusual hair color, Itama turned out to be a healthy infant. His eyes changed from a deep blue to a deep brown and within days, his skin changed to a darker tone, more like that of mothers, and he could see just fine. Therefore, it was determined that he wasn’t an albino, because you know, albinos aren’t just born with a different coloring, but also with a week body and bad eyesight.”

“Weak body?”

“Mhm, mhm. I was very frail when I was born. Many thought I wouldn’t make it.” Kagami gaped at Tobirama in shock while Hashirama buried his face into his brother’s hair.

“But you’re strong.” Kagami yelled.

“That’s only because of a lot of training.” Tobirama didn’t elaborate what that training entailed, because Kagami didn’t need to know about the hours of beating, starving, more beatings and the times where he was close to bleeding out.

Even Hashirama didn’t know about all of it, though he knew that Tobirama’s training was hell and far from what normal training looks like. But he for sure didn’t know about the torture, and Tobirama was determined to keep it that way. Hashirama already had enough feelings of guilt even after killing Butsuma himself, no need to add anymore unnecessary guilt, especially when there was no reason to feel guilty in the first place.

Tobirama had no idea how he survived all of it while others like him just died. His only explanation was because he was born with many more chakra reserves than the others.

Luckily, Kagami didn’t ask about the training, and instead just nodded like it was enough explanation. But there was another question in his mind, but Kagami wasn’t sure if it’d be a proper question. He didn’t want to offend his newfound mother.

Tobirama, of course, noticed Kagami’s uncertainty and how the boy looked at the markings in his face for a brief second before averting his gaze to another point in the room.

“Kagami. You can ask me anything. I won’t be upset, I promise. Just accept that I might not answer all of your questions, because I either don’t know the answer, or I feel uncomfortable speaking about it. But it’s okay to ask.”

Kagami nodded, still a little uncertain but then blurted, “You look so much like our Amaterasu-ōmikami. Even your markings.”, Kagami made some hand movements across his own face, perfectly mirroring the markings that adorned Tobirama’s face. “There are not the same, but she has similar markings, you know.”

Tobirama frowned, “Who is that? Amaterasu, I mean. You mentioned the name a few times by now, but I’m unaware of who that is. I only heard about a jutsu with that name. Something about black flames?” Tobirama cast a look at his brother, who shook his head, not knowing who that was as well.

“Amaterasu-ōmikami. She’s the goddess of light.”

“A goddess? I haven’t known the Uchiha pray to a kami. Do you mind telling us little more about her?” Tobirama asked curiously.

Kagami put a finger on his lips and looked at the ceiling, thinking about what he learned so far.

“She’s the sun, and older sister of Susanoo-kamisama, and Tsu…tsuku….tsukuyomi-kamisama. And she’s also married to the latter, which is gross.” Kagami crunched his nose, but then continued with a shrug, “Hm. It’s ‘aid that some’ay the world was in danger. People pra’ed to Amaterasu-kamisama and her brothers to save them from a false kami. Amaterasu-kamisama heard the pra’ers and blessed our an..anctors.”

“Ancestors.”

“…with the Sharingan that allo’ed them to summon Amaterasu’s black f’ames, the Susanoo, and to trap the opponent in the Tsu…ku…yomi Genjutsu. Hm.” Kagami closed his eyes, trying to remember the end of the tail.

“Ah. Our an…ance…ancestor defeated the false god, and it was sealed away. Since then, we pray to Amaterasu-kamisama and thank her for her blessing.”

“I see. Very interesting. And you say that Amaterasu has the same red eyes and markings I have?”

“Eyes, yes, but not the same markings, no, but similar. It’s at least what I have seen in our shrine. There we have a statue of her, ‘ou know.”

“I see. And does your clan feel any special assortment to people that look similar to her? I know of other clans that like to sacrifice people that resemble their god or goddess while others kidnap and hold those with similar features to their kami as hostage.”

“Hm. I don’t think so? I mean, I never saw some’ne with red eyes like yours in the compound. Nor did I ever hear about kid’apping or sassifricing people.” Tobirama slightly relaxed. It’d be a disaster if the Uchiha were obsessed with red-eye people like him despite how rare they are.

On the other hand, he couldn’t be sure of their reaction if seeing someone similar looking to their kami, no matter their actual gender. Kagami was only four. Who knows what he’d learn when getting older. Maybe the Uchiha might take offense if they find out about his resemblance to their kami?

Hashirama must have had the same thought as his little brother, because he asked, “Kagami. You’re a smart kid. How do you think your clan might react if they see Tobirama?”

Kagami looked at the two, before saying, “Hm. I think they would like kaasan. He’s nice.”

“But wouldn’t they be offended by him looking like their kami?” Kagami widened his eyes when he realized what they meant by the former question.

He shook his head. “I asked Mada-nii, because I was ‘uriuus. He got a ‘eally wei’d look, but he p’omised they wouldn’t hurt a person ‘hat looks like Amaterasu-kamisama. I think he doesn’t belief that such person exist.”

Tobirama and Hashirama shared a look, communicating without saying a word. There was only one way to find out and that would be when Tobirama leaves the compound without his usual disguise, a well-crafted henge that even the Uchiha were unable to see through with their Sharingan.

In fact, it was the first improved jutsu of Tobirama at a tender age of ten. Before that he always was forced to wear clothes that covered his entire skin as well as a mask or bandages that covered his eyes and to dye his hair until no white was visible.

The henge at least allowed Tobirama to walk more freely around their home, no longer be forced to cover his eyes, not that it helped much with improving his eyesight, but it at least stopped it getting worse.

Tobirama himself had been surprised how good his henge worked. He first tried it out on an assassination mission where he also accidentally run into an Uchiha. To his surprise the Uchiha didn’t call him out for hiding his true appearance, even if he figured that Tobirama was a Senju. From there on out Tobirama always wore it, no matter if it was during a mission, on a battlefield or at home when Butsuma was around. Only when he was in the safety of his or Hashirama’s room, Tobirama let go of his jutsu.

But Tobirama also refrained from telling Butsuma how good his jutsu actually worked. And to keep it a secret he also continued to wear clothes that covered him completely, and a mask when going into battle. It was only after Butsuma died that Izuna managed to kick off Tobirama’s mask in a battle. Some Senju had tensed for split seconds, but even Izuna couldn’t see through the henge and from there on Tobirama only wore his assassination outfit when on a mission.

“Kaasan, what are those markings?” Tobirama slightly flinched when a small hand touched his face without warning. Kagami immediately drew his hand back like he was burned. “’orry, did I hurt ‘ou?”

“Ah, no. It’s just. I didn’t expect it.” Tobirama took Kagami’s hand and guided it back to one of his markings, signaling with the gesture that it was fine for the boy to touch him. Kagami carefully followed the pattern of the marking on Tobirama’s right cheek.

“I was born with those markings as far as I know.” Tobirama continued then. “I fear it was another trait my father didn’t like on me.” The last part came out bitter and let Kagami freeze. It was only then that Tobirama noticed his slip up, but it was too late..

“’our father didn’t like ‘ou? Why?” Little Kagami was shocked, not able to comprehend that a parent might not like their child.

“Ah. I fear he didn’t. And…that’s all you have to know.” Kagami watched Tobirama for a few seconds, who was looking at his lap with a frown. As much as he wanted to know all about his mother, Kagami instinctively knew that this was a question he’d probably never get an answer to. His gaze also wandered to Hashirama for a moment, but from his empty look, Kagami was sure he wouldn’t say anything either. So, Kagami decided it was best to just drop it. It wasn’t important anyway.

“I like 'ou.” Kagami wrapped his little arms around Tobirama’s neck, who had snapped his head up in surprise, probably not having expected that Kagami would let it go. But he was glad the little one did.

Exhausted about the exchange Tobirama yawned after a minute of silence, which prompted Hashirama into action.

“Time for a nap, otouto. You need all the rest you can get.”

“I…” Before he could even start a coughing fit caught him off-guard. His lungs were burning and his chest hurt terribly. Kagami was quick to let go, while Hashirama was quick in putting a glowing green hand on Tobirama’s chest, while also running a soothing hand up and down his back. A minute later Tobirama exhaustedly leaned back, heavenly panting.

“That…that sucks.”

“I know. And it’s exactly why you need to rest.” Hashirama moved his hand to Tobirama’s flat belly. For another minute no one said anything, Tobirama still catching his breath while Kagami looked forth and back between Hashirama’s hand and face.

“The heartbeat of the little one is a little faster than usually, but it’s calming down.” For five more minutes Hashirama kept his hand where it was until he was sure that the unborn was calm again. “There. All is fine now.”

“’ow can ‘ou tell?” Kagami asked curiously.

“Because of the jutsu I’m using. It allows me to monitor the little one’s vitals. It’s like putting a hand on your chest and feeling your heartbeat.” Hashirama explained with a smile.

“Can I feel them?”

“No, not without the needed chakra control and with learning the jutsu, but you may feel them later when the baby has grown more. You may feel them moving and kick.”

“’eally?”

“Yes. But it’ll take a few more months until that might happen.” Kagami’s face fell.

“But…but will I be there? ‘ou said I can’t stay.” Kagami bit his lower lip. He knew he couldn’t stay. Hashirama had explained that his clan, the Uchiha, might see it as a break of the ceasefire. Actually, Hashirama already broke the ceasefire by taking Kagami instead of returning him immediately, but Madara accepted his reason and agreed to Kagami’s stay at the Senju compound until the snowstorm was over.

“Hm. Maybe we can ask Madara if you can come for a visit. Tobirama shouldn’t give birth until mid-summer. But…I can’t promise you that Kagami.”

“It’s…it’s fine, Hashi-jii. I don’t ‘ant to be the rea’on for our clans fighting ‘gain.”

“You wo…won’t be the reason if the cease…ceasefire fails Kagami, no matter what. You’re ju…just a child.” Tobirama panted.

“Tobi is right, Kagami. It’s on us adults to decide if we want peace or not. And Madara just showed that he wants it as much as we do or else his reaction would have been another. And if everything works out, we might live together someday.”

“Oh. ‘ou mean the ‘illage right?” Hashirama nodded with a bright grin.

“Precisely.”

Kagami considered the words and then gave a sharp nod. “I’ll help. I’ll tell everyone how nice ‘ou are.”

“Ah. Not sure if that will work.” Tobirama huffed.

“Wha…Why not?”

“Because your clan might just think we brainwashed you or something.” Kagami gaped.

“But ‘ou didn’t?”

“We know that, and you know that. Madara might believe you, but the more you will insist that we are ‘nice’ guys the more it might full the suspicion of some within your clan. So, my suggestion. Only speak about your experience here when being asked, and I’d ask you not tell anyone about my looks or my…my current state.” Again, Tobirama coughed but it was only short lived.

“Okay, I think that’s enough for now. We continue another time.” Hashirama said.

It took only five minutes, and Tobirama was back to sleep tugged away warmly within his nest, while Kagami followed Hashirama out.

Chapter Text

Three more days passed until it was time for Kagami to return home. As soon as the snowstorm ended the previous day, Hashirama contacted Madara, who agreed to meet up the day after.

Kagami wasn’t happy but understood that he couldn’t stay. He spent each minute with Tobirama, who luckily recovered enough to not be asleep all the time, though he was bound to his nest for at least two weeks.

However, that didn’t stop Tobirama teaching Kagami some chakra control. At the end of the second day of Tobirama’s awakening, Kagami was able to climb the wall of Tobirama’s room and to keep his position at the ceiling for five minutes. As safety measurement it was either Hashirama or Touka who watched and caught Kagami whenever his control slipped. Tobirama also taught Kagami the different finger signs for performing a jutsu.

The only time Tobirama left his nest with the help of his elder brother was when he needed the refresher, or when it was time for a bath. Tobirama had been reluctant at first when Kagami asked if they could take a bath together, but the fact that Kagami helped Hashirama to wash him while he was unconscious meant that Kagami already saw some of his scars. So, there wasn’t truly a reason why they couldn’t share a bath. The bathtub within their home was big enough to hold at least three fully grown adults.

Still, Tobirama had been nervous when Hashirama carried him into the bathroom after Kagami, who had been quick to shed his clothes and to jump into the bathtub full of warm water. It wasn’t uncommon for families to share a bath, especially when resources were meager. Even Touka joined sometimes, not shy of showing her body in front of her cousins, though it was appropriate to at least cover the private parts with a towel when reaching a certain age, mostly at ten after children presented.

Therefore, before Tobirama had joined Kagami, Hashirama had given Tobirama a towel that he had wrapped around his waist as soon as his fundoshi had been removed.

There was also one surprising moment when Tobirama turned his back to Kagami, who only then noticed that Tobirama also had red markings on his back, beginning on his neck and vanishing under the waistline that had been covered by the towel. There were also scars, old and new, but they paled in comparison to the red swirls that almost seemed to form a picture.

Why hadn’t he noticed before? Because Kagami only helped by washing Tobirama’s arms and face.

Seeing the red markings, Kagami could only stare and think that his adopted mother was beautiful, probably the most beautiful person he ever saw. Even Izuna couldn’t compare. The little one even blushed a little when his mother turned and noticed him staring. Kagami had been quick to duck his head under the water to hide his expression.

Seeing that Tobirama and Hashirama had shared an amused expression before the former helped the letter into the bathtub.

That all happened at the end of the previous day and now it was time to say goodbye to little Kagami. He clung to Tobirama for around fifteen minutes before he was ready to release his mother.

“Take good care of you Kagami. Listen to your caregivers and remember what I taught you. I expect a weekly report of your process, might it be good or bad.”

“Will do, kaasan.”

“Good boy.” Tobirama said while also adjusting the scarf he gifted Kagami some weeks ago. “You’re sure you have everything?”

“Ahu. I dou’le’ecked.”

“Double-checked.” Tobirama corrected. Something he did automatically whenever Kagami had some difficulties with pronouncing. “Very good. And remember what we talked about. No word about my…”

“…your true looks. Got it.” Kagami grinned which was returned by Tobirama’s own sharp grin.

“It’s time, Kagami.” Hashirama said softly. Kagami’s face fell for a second, but then he straightened his back and gave his mother a last long hug.

“’ll miss you.”

“I know, I’ll miss you too. But I’m sure we will see each other again soon. Just be patient.” Kagami nodded and then followed Hashirama out of Tobirama’s room, giving him a last look before he was out of sight.

Tobirama watched them leaving with a sadden look. He really grew on Kagami. Would he have less control, he wouldn’t let him go. But Tobirama had been careful not to form a parent-child bond with Kagami. What they had was a pack bond, something he and Touka had already suspected, and which was confirmed after Kagami arrived. Otherwise, Tobirama wouldn’t have accepted Kagami in his nest so easily, no matter if he was a child or not.

A parent-child bond run deeper though and needed more than just closeness. For forming a parent-child bond, Tobirama would have needed to scent-mark Kagami, fully accept him as his. Something elder Yumiko had explained when she had been visited after Tobirama woke up and asked her.

It wasn’t that Tobirama didn’t accept Kagami. He already saw Kagami as his pup. But forming a complete bond would do more harm than good, because in his already weakened state, they couldn’t risk Tobirama suffering from separation-syndrome. He would be sad, yes, maybe feel a little distressed of not knowing how Kagami was faring, but it wouldn’t be as bad as removing a child from their parent when just having formed the bond. Tobirama’s omega would never have accepted letting go of Kagami and would have been devasted of the sudden loss.

It's the exact reason why so many omegas suffered or broke when losing a child, and in worst case even died, especially when they were already weak in mind and/or body. And male omegas, as rare as they were, weren’t an exception.

“He will be fine.” Touka said, pulling Tobirama out of his daze.

“He better will be or else I’ll have kick some Uchiha asses, which would only endanger the ceasefire. So, Madara better keeps a good eye on him.”

----

Madara was pacing on his side of the Naka River, Sango and Hikaku standing a few feet behind him, watching the forest on the other side closely. Madara had warned Hashirama that he wouldn’t be alone, because he didn’t want to risk anything. Not that he feared any attack from the Senju, but you could never know if there weren’t any bloodline thieves waiting for an opportunity such as this one.

A single Uchiha running around with a toddler? Yeah, no, Madara might be Madara, but even he would have difficulties fighting off several opponents when protecting a child at the same time.

They waited for something about fifteen minutes when Hashirama finally arrived with Kagami on his back. Madara couldn’t feel any other Senju, but he suspected Hashirama wasn’t in need of an escort, not if he knew that there wasn’t any danger of being attacked.

“Madara.”

“Hashirama.” They greeted, while Hashirama kneeled to put Kagami down.

“How do we do that without stepping on each other territories?” Madara asked then. Hashirama shrugged and just pointed at the river.

“We could meet in the middle?”

Madara looked at Hikaku, who gave a nod. “Fine.” Hashirama picked Kagami up and infused chakra to his feet so he could walk easily on the half-frozen river.

“Hello Kagami.” Madara greeted with a grin that promised a long talk when they were back home.

“Ah, eh, hello, Mada-nii.” Kagami squirmed under Madara’s gaze but didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Madara’s neck when handed over by Hashirama.

Just when Madara was ready to step back, Hashirama said, “Madara. If you don’t mind. I need to talk to you. In private.” Madara gave him a nod, and shunshined over to Sango and Hikaku, who both were very happy to greet and hug Kagami.

“Take Kagami and return to the compound. I’ll follow in a few minutes.” Both nodded, but before they left they also thanked Hashirama and asked him to also give their thanks to Tobirama. Hashirama smiled and waved them off with a “You’re welcome.”, and a “See you, Kagami.”

When they were out of sight, Madara returned to Hashirama, who still stood in the middle of the half-frozen river.

“What is it? Did you have any problems? How is your brother?” Madara asked, a little nervous about what Hashirama might tell him.

“First of, Tobirama is fine, or as fine as he can be.” That didn’t sound particularly reassuring.

“What do you mean? I thought he was fine?”

“Well, I thought he was, but Tobirama fell ill the day after the attack. I’m sorry Madara, but even if the snowstorm hadn’t been so close, I’d have taken Kagami, because I’d feel when Tobirama…” Madara held up a hand to interrupt his friend.

“It’s alright.”

“I didn’t lie. I just.”

“It’s alright Hashirama, truly. I’d have done the same. Just let us keep it to ourselves.” Hashirama’s shoulders slightly slumped and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Madara. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to return to the compound and had to camp out with Kagami. Fortunately, Touka had been there and called for our head healer. Anyway, Tobirama and the baby are fine, at least for now.”

“I see. Does it change your plans for coming to the capital in a couple of months?”

“I still haven’t talked with Tobi about it. As I told you, it will either be both of us coming or neither, especially now after the attack happened. But his illness is something that won’t go away in a few days, so we have to see how it is in a couple of months.”

“So bad?” Hashirama, who hadn’t looked at Madara, did so now with a serious expression.

“It was bad enough for him to be unconscious for three days.”

“Shit.”

“Indeed. Listen Madara. I appreciate that you seem to worry about my brother, but please keep that information to yourself, and please have an eye on Kagami. We have told him to keep a few things to himself as well. Nothing bad of course.” Hashirama added quickly at seeing Madara’s worried expression. “The things won’t be a secret for long, so…don’t pressure Kagami to tell anything. Okay?”

“Okay. I trust you, Hashirama. I’ll also make sure that no one else seeks him out for some interrogations.” Hashirama narrowed his eyes and then nodded.

“There isn’t much he can tell anyway. Due to the snowstorm, we kept mostly inside the house, and we didn’t talk about any clan secrets. But I know what you mean. However, that’s not the reason why I wanted to talk to you.”

“What is it then?”

“You know we made some prisoners of the attack right?” Madara straightened his back in alert. Surely, if Hashirama wanted to talk about it, then he must have found out something.

“Right. What about them? Have they talked?”

“No.”, Hashirama growled, “They didn’t have the opportunity, because someone or something killed them the night I wasn’t in the compound.”

“What? How’s that possible? I thought you could feel any intruders. Wait, did a Senju kill them?”

“We’re still investigating, but the current assumption is they poised themselves. However, something feels off and I had a little talk with Touka about another matter.”

“What was it?” Hashirama had been unsure how much to tell Madara, but there was something going on neither of them knew and Hashirama decided it was best to trust his friend.

“The night Tobirama has been…has been raped.”, Madara’s eyes widen but he kept silent, “We found Tobirama nearby the compound. There weren’t any indications of him being…,” Hashirama shook his head. He hated to speak about it. “Anyway. What hadn’t occurred to us is that I hadn’t felt Tobirama or anyone else when he was brought back.”

“What do you mean?”

“The crime had happened outside of Senju land. That’s why I didn’t know what’s going on, but...”, Hashirama locked eyes with Madara, “…I’d have felt when someone entered Senju land. I’d have felt Tobirama as soon as he crossed the border, but I didn’t. Which means…”

“Which means someone is able to hide from you.”

“Yes, and they can mask the presence of others. But that’s not all. Since we found out Tobirama has been…it caused questions. Why haven’t there been any signs of the act? We thought maybe the Uchiha did something, but it makes no sense. He had tried to kill Tobirama, so he wouldn’t have any reason to spare him in the first place.”

“It wasn’t Haro. Someone or something has interfered.” Madara cut in.

Hashirama frowned, “You saw his memories right? Have you seen who interfered?”

“No. It was just a second of seeing a black shadow before the memory stopped, probably the moment where Haro had been knocked out.”

“You knew?”

“Eh. Yeah, sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s just. So much happened, I think I just forgot.” Madara flinched and gave Hashirama the sincerest look he could manage and that meant he was truly sorry. Hashirama considered it for a moment and then nodded.

“It at least confirms that someone else was involved. However, it brings up the questions why they interfered, why did they healed Tobirama only partly instead completely and is there a possibility that someone might have waited for something like this to happen?”

“You mean, someone has hoped that a Uchiha rapes a Senju?” Madara asked incredulously.

“Or vice versa. Maybe they even waited for the perfect moment to manipulate the Alpha. I know that you train your alphas and omegas to not lose control. We do the same. Any clan does it. So, it should almost be impossible for something like this to happen, except one or both parties were manipulated or forced. I might not forgive what the Uchiha had done to my brother but, should he have been manipulated then…I’d be at least less inclined to kill him when I see him again.”

“I see. But why do it? What would they gain from it?”

Hashirama looked at Madara and growled, “A child. A child that has both Uchiha and Senju blood running through their veins.”

“A…child. You’re sure? I mean, really? Why not kill the Alpha? Why even using an Uchiha and a Senju. If you want the Sharingan, you could just kidnap an Uchiha and breed them. For a Senju? I don’t know. Except for you and maybe your brother, I can’t think of anyone special in your clan. Ah, I mean, sorry, yes you’re strong, but your clan hasn’t any special abilities, not like other clans.”

“True. But think about it. They could have especially waited for Tobirama or maybe even me.” Madara looked at Hashirama in shock.

“You?”

“Yes me. I’m a powerful alpha.”

“Okay, true. But how did they know your brother is an omega? No one knew he’s an omega.”

“As far as we knew, yes, but it doesn’t mean that someone didn’t find out. Or they just hoped he would go into rut and rape an Uchiha omega. Might have been surprised when it was the other way around.”

“But why not take him and keep him until the child is born?”

“I don’t know. It’s all just a theory. But it’s a fact that something fishy is going on. Maybe they aren’t after a child and just wanted to increase the hate between our clans. They couldn’t have known if Tobirama would get pregnant or not. But that wouldn’t explain why they healed Tobirama, so no one knew what happened. It makes no sense at all. And I really doubt they hoped for us to end in a ceasefire. Hence, the supposition that they might have saved Tobirama, healed him enough that no one discovered he was raped and maybe hoped the pregnancy would stay hidden until it was too late to perform an abortion. After all, they couldn’t be sure if Tobirama would keep the baby, and I for sure wouldn’t have forced him to keep it.”

“Okay, okay. Stay calm. I’m just trying to come up with a plausible explanation. And so far nothing makes sense. Not truly.”

“And that’s the problem Madara. Whenever we think we have an answer, ten more pop up. That’s why I decided to tell you as much at least. I need you to find out if your clan member did it on his own volition, or if there is a chance that he was manipulated.”

“He was close in killing your brother.”

“I know. But think about what would have happened, Madara. Let us assume it’d be irrelevant if Tobirama was with child or not. My brother had been raped. That alone would put me into a rage, but hearing it the same time when the same Uchiha killed my brother? Your clan wouldn’t exist any longer.” Madara tensed. It wasn’t that he wasn’t aware of the possibility or that Hashirama more or less said it a few days ago, but it didn’t stop the cold feeling of dread that Hashirama truly might be capable of doing something like this.

Then something clicked in Madara’s mind. “Wait. That would mean someone is planning to eradicate my clan. I mean, not just kill the higher skilled shinobi so it’d be easier to enslave the rest, but a complete Genocide?” Madara looked at Hashirama skeptically. “That is, if you were able to kill children?”

“Alpha rage, Madara, is a powerful and primitive instinct. And I truly don’t know if I’d control myself if I ever reach this state of mind.” Hashirama didn’t like the thought, but he was close to an alpha rage once, so he knew there was a possibility of losing himself in it.

“But even if I was able to control myself and spare your clan children, then it’d still allow other clans to take them, or worse bloodline thieves to pick them up. Hm. Maybe that has been truly the plan.”

“It sounds valid, at least. It would also mean that the Daimyo would be forced to eradicate you and your clan. Both our clans wouldn’t exist anymore after that.”

“Indeed. The Daimyo would declare me as too dangerous to keep alive and the other clans wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate my entire clan just to be sure a monster like me wouldn’t rise from the ashes.”

“You’re not a monster, but I agree with the rest. Which means someone is trying to rattle as up.”

“Yeah, but why? I mean, we haven’t been at peace for hundreds of years. And we weren’t close to a ceasefire.”

“But we weren’t fighting as constantly and as fiercely as we were before Butsuma died. Maybe they feared it was just a matter of time before I agree to a ceasefire. Therefore, they plotted something that might strengthen our will of battling each other. You know that I wouldn’t have believed Haro raping your brother if I hadn’t seen his memories with my own eyes.” Hashirama flinched at the admission.

“And you have to admit that you wouldn’t have believed it when it’d have been the opposite. You know how rape is seen among all the clans. We both would have declined any involvement of clan members in such crime.”

“You’re right.”

“Unfortunately for whoever might have planned the extinction of our clans, if that is the plan, didn’t expect that we might end in a ceasefire.”

“Yeah, hence the attack while I wasn’t home. Maybe it was them who hired those Shinobis to attack the Senju compound, hoped to put it on the Uchiha that would end any thoughts of peace.”

Madara sighed, “You’re right that there are a lot of questions that only lead to more questions. And I fear we need to know a lot more to figure out the truth. So, let me see if I can find anything that might prove if Haro has been manipulated or not. It won’t change my plan for the Daimyo’s court, but it might at least damp the outcome.”

Madara shifted from one foot to the other, “What worries me the most, however, is the fact that you said that there might be something out there that is able to hide from you. Does it also include your brother? And why did you come without an escort? What if that someone had tried to attack you and Kagami?”

“Who says I’m alone?”

“Huh?”

“I said who says I’m alone?”

“I heard you saying it the first time, but if you aren’t alone then where is your escort? I can’t feel anyone.”

“Maybe they are just out of your sensor reach.” Hashirama answered a little sheepishly.

Madara huffed and muttered, “Fine. Doesn’t matter anyway.”, then asked a little louder, “What about your brother? Can that someone also hide from him?”

“That depends. My sensing is different to Tobirama’s. The night he saved Kagami, Tobirama had been poisoned and was more concentrated on staying alive as to recognize anything unusual. Not forgetting that he has no idea what happened after he had been caught by the Uchiha, because he fell almost immediately unconscious. And his memories are still very vague about what happened before that. In case of the prisoners, Tobirama had already lost conscious when they died. Therefore, we cannot say, if he’s truly unable to sense whoever might plot against us, or if we might be just paranoid.”

“Paranoid?”

“Yes paranoid. There is after all one more possibility. And that would be that someone just stumbled over the Uchiha when he forced himself on Tobi and decided to interfere.”

“But why not show themselves?”

Hashirama shrugged, “Maybe they wouldn’t want to be involved in our conflict, knowing that neither Senju nor Uchiha might belief what they have witnessed. Maybe they had only enough chakra to heal Tobirama partly, not knowing that this could cause us so much trouble afterwards.”

“And the reason why you could not feel them when they left Tobirama close to the compound?”

“Maybe they used some unknown jutsu to hide their presence. Or maybe they used some other kind of transportation. Maybe they used a summon that can fly and just dropped Tobi before flying away.”

“You’re serious?” Madara asked stunned.

“I told you my sensing is different to Tobirama’s. I’m connected to the earth. I can’t feel things that aren’t touching anything that is connected to the ground.”

“That’s a huge disadvantage. You know that right?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s huge disadvantage, but still I trust you. And…I want to give you a chance should I ever…lose my control.”

Madara twitched and looked a little taken aback, “Eh, thanks I guess. I promise I won’t use it against you if not absolutely necessary.” Madara took a minute to process everything what was said but then remembered the dead Shinobi.

“About the dead Shinobi.”

“I can’t tell anything about it, yet.” Hashirama cut in immediately. “Except that they used an unknown poison or so it seems at least. But the question would be why they didn’t take it as soon as they were locked in their cells.”

“Hm. Maybe they feared you might be able to heal them, so they waited for the perfect moment to take it.”

“Or they used a slow working poison that would kill them before someone could figure out what was going on. They couldn’t have known I’d leave the compound so soon.”

“Or they were poisoned by whoever might be able to hide their presence from you, if the theory is correct.”

“Precisely.”

Madara took a deep breath, “Okay. There is a lot to think about. And we can’t still rule out that no Uchiha is involved in the latest attack. Third party or not, we can’t forget those within our own clans that are against the ceasefire.” Hashirama nodded in agreement, glad that Madara wasn’t excluding his own clan from any involvement. 

“One last question before we depart.” Madara said. “I’ll need to tell a few people about what we talked about, just now. This is a lot, and I can’t do it on my own. So, how much can I tell them?”

“Everything, well except of what I told you not to reveal. The only other request I have is to be careful of who you’ll inform. I might have been in your home for a few days, but I can’t say whom you can trust or not. I also suggest you keep the number of people low. Among my own clan only six people know what’s going on, or at least what we have just talked about.”

“Six?”

“Yes, Touka, Tobirama, myself and three of our clan elders. The rest is only aware of the general situation, but nothing else.”

“I see. Well, I have a few people in mind I’m sure I can trust with this. Should we meet up somewhere to discuss anything? I wouldn’t dare to use any written messages that can easily be picked up before they reach their target.”

“You’re right. On the other hand, it would be suspicious if we meet up so soon. For now, I only want to know if there is any possibility of manipulation being involved. Are you aware of one or two child stories then can be used to give me the information?”

“Hm. Yes indeed. Do you know the story of the fox and the raven?”

Hashirama grinned. “Yes, I heard about it. Both very intelligent and cunning. It’s unclear who wins at the end, so we can use it.”

“Yeah. If the raven wins, we speak about manipulation, and if the fox wins then not.”

“Ok. Use Kagami’s letters to bring it up. Tell Kagami to write down the story of the raven and fox and tell him who wins.”

“Good thinking. Tobirama might answer and start a debate or tell his own version of the story. That way it’ll be less suspicious. It doesn’t matter at that point who wins, because the first message is the important one.”

“Correct.”

“Thanks, Hashirama, for everything, and send my best wishes to your brother. I hope he will be well soon.”

“Stop thanking me.” Hashirama waved him off. “Just make sure that Kagami won’t be without supervision. If I find him again alone on Senju land, I won’t return him again.” Madara gulped.

“That won’t happen again. You can be sure of that.”

“I hope so. Or else you won’t face me, but a very angry Tobirama. And believe me, you don’t want that.”

Madara shrieked, “He’s pregnant.”

“So? He won’t be pregnant forever. And you know how protective new mothers are of their offspring.” Madara blanched and then turned bright red at the thought of a furious and protective Tobirama. His alpha liked it very much. Madara was so lost to the image that he didn’t even notice Hashirama disappearing and leaving him alone.

----

Madara caught up to Sango and Hikaku twenty minutes after his departure with Hashirama. The two have looked at him with clear questioning gazes, but Madara just waved them off and said he would explain later.

Sango and Hikaku were two of the people Madara would let in in his and Hashirama’s plot. Half a year ago he wouldn’t have hesitated to include Izuna as well, but as how it was now Madara didn’t even think about telling his brother about anything of it, sure that Izuna would just rant that everything was a big plot planned by the Senju to destroy the Uchiha. And Madara had enough of it. He couldn’t hear it anymore. And he was glad that Izuna didn’t insist on coming with him to pick up Kagami.

As it was, Izuna didn’t even say anything about it. They both avoided each other since Madara’s return and didn’t even try to make any attempt at speaking to each other when sitting together with their siblings and cousins for meals.

Izuya and Misaki were also pissed about Izuna’s attitude and spent most of their time in the healing halls or with their father. Most patients were already up and home again, but a few were still fighting off the last remains of the illness.

The only one who was still in mostly critical condition was Tajima, and Madara feared his father might not survive. For years, Madara thought his father might despise him, that he might be disappointed that Madara wasn’t pushing to draw the Senju into more battles. And now that he knew it wasn’t the case, that his father was proud of his stubborn son, Madara might lose him.

Madara had already lost one parent, his mother who had been brutally murdered by Shinobi Hagoromo when Madara was sixteen years old. It was horror watching when it happened, was it after all the reason how he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, but watching his father withering away was almost worse. And still, he hoped his father would get better. Madara wasn’t ready to let go. He wanted his father to see Madara’s dream come true.

“Madara.” Madara’s head snapped up when he heard his father’s voice. He must have been more zoned out than expected, because when he became fully aware of his surroundings, Madara stood at the entrance to their living room at home where Tajima sat at the kotatsu with a hand on Kagami’s head.

“Madara. Are you alright?”

“Uhm, yes, father.” Tajima’s look was skeptical, not really believing his son, but he refrained say as much. Instead, his gaze turned to Kagami, who was watching them in silence.

“Well Kagami. It’s good to see you. How have you been? We have been worried.” Kagami looked down, knowing what he did was wrong.

“’m sorry. I just…I wanted to see kaasan.”

“That we figured, but you have to understand that this was very dangerous for you to do. You know that we have many enemies who wouldn’t have hesitated to kidnap or kill you. Don’t do it again.”

“I won’t. ‘romise.”

Madara huffed and sat down next to Kagami. “Brat. Even if you wanted we wouldn’t let you get out again. And you won’t leave the house for the next two weeks. You’re grounded.”

“Wh…Yes, Madara-sama.” Kagami wanted to protest, but at Madara’s stern expression he knew it’d be in vain. And it was fair, after all, he left and left them all worried about him.

“If that’s settled then. How was it? Has there been any problems?”

Kagami shook his head, “No. Hashi-nii took good care of me, and Touka-nee was ama’ing. She’s really cool, you know. Even cooler than Sango-obasan.”, Kagami perked up in panic and looked around, looking for his aunt. He sighed in relief and leaned forward, whispering. “Don’t tell her, please.”

“What should they not tell me?” Kagami gulped when seeing Sango enter with a tea tray in hand, followed by Hikaku and the twins.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing, eh. Does it mean you won’t tell me why you think your new sister is cooler than your own aunt, who’s much likely even younger than your Touka-nee.” Kagami gulped.

“I’m much more interested about why Hashirama took care of you and not the person you call kaasan.” Madara asked with a frown. He knew of course why, but he promised to not tell anyone. Now he will see if Kagami can keep a secret as well.

Kagami twitched in his seat, frantically thinking of what to say. He promised he wouldn’t tell anyone about his kaasan’s condition. “Of ‘ourse, kaasan took good care of me. But. Uhm. He’s pregnant. So, he needs a lot of rest.” Kagami looked at Madara with his big round puppy eyes.

It wasn’t a bad lie, but the way Kagami said it was telling enough that there was something he wasn’t telling. But with Madara’s acceptance the others would understand not to ask any questions.

“I guess it makes sense. So, did anything else exciting happened?”

“Yes, kaasan taught me how to walk up a wall. See?” Kagami jumped from his seat and before anyone could stop him, he was on and up the wall and he was right above them on the ceiling.”

“Amazing. But would you please come down again, Kagami.” Sango asked calmly, though her body language was anything but. She grew even more tense when Kagami just let go of his chakra and landed with a thud on the ground, crouched on his two small feet and a wide big grin.

“Cool, isn’t it. Touka-nee showed me how to do it. Kaasan wasn’t very happy, but Touka-nee said, it was better I’d learn it sooner than later.”

“Aha. I can see why you like her.” Sango scoffed.

“That’s amazing Kagami. You always had difficulties with controlling your chakra and now look at you. I bet you won’t have any problems to climb the tree on the training ground next time.” Misaki congratulated him with a clap of her hands, while Kagami beamed proudly.

“Truly awesome. Tobirama-sama must be a great teacher.” Izuya added.

“Yeah, Tobi-kaasan promised he’d teach me how to create new jutsus.”

“Oh, really?”, Madara drawled, “Seems you won’t need us any longer.”

“Madara. Are you jealous?” Izuya laughed.

“Don’t be stupid, of course not.” Madara scoffed.

“Oh come on. You look like someone kicked your puppy.”

“What are you talking about? Why should I be jealous? I’m not the one who failed teaching Kagami chakra control.”

“Maybe not, but maybe it’s the thought that Kagami likes his kaasan so much more than you. Or…maybe you’d like some teaching lessons as well?” Madara turned bright red which earned him more laughs from the others.

“But isn’t it amazing?” Misaki began when slowly calming down again. “I mean, Senju-sama must truly be good at teaching. It took him only a week to teach Kagami to concentrate his chakra to his feet.”

Kagami nodded enthusiastically, “Kaasan, also taught me hand signs. Look.” As quickly as his small hands allowed it, Kagami performed several different hand signs while naming them at the same time. The adults could only stare in astonishment. It wasn’t that Kagami was stupid or anything. It had been just a year since his training had started, and it wasn’t unusual for such young children to have difficulties in following lessons. Kagami especially had the problem that people lost their patience with him very quickly, because of his hyperactive character and his endless amounts of questions. Therefore, it was even more astonishing that he learned so much within just a week.

From the corner of his eyes, Madara saw Izuna leaving from his spot close to the shoji. He could imagine the sneer on his brother’s face, it was after all Izuna who tried to teach Kagami to climb a tree. Now again he was outdone by his rival, which would only fuel his hate for him. Madara had no idea what to do about it and he was tired of even trying to talk to Izuna about anything Senju related. He just hoped his brother wouldn’t do anything stupid and force Madara to choose between him and peace.

Chapter Text

The weeks passed and Tobirama was glad when he finally could leave his nest. He was still fighting off some coughing fits and the lingering exhaustion, but it was nice to be able to move and do some stretches again.

Unfortunately, he was back to square one, and it would take even longer to regain his strength. Again, he’d lost some of the weight he managed to garner in the few weeks prior since his nausea subsided. He tried, he really tried to compensate for the four days of being unconscious by eating as much as he could but just couldn’t manage to eat much before his stomach started to twist. So, he stopped before throwing up what little he could stomach.

Luckily, the weight loss wasn’t as bad as it had been after waking up from his three-weeks coma and the following weeks of morning sickness, but it was still concerning, especially considering how small his developing baby bump was at five months pregnancy. There was only a slight swell that he discovered a few days after Kagami left, but still far too small to be recognized by others with his clothes on, which hung loosely over his slim frame. 

Because of the fear of relapsing, Tobirama wasn’t allowed to go outside, not even for the ten minutes that he was allowed before. He didn’t protest, after all there was enough work for him as distraction. Seals, jutsus or even working on some plans for the village. As long as he could occupy his mind with something, Tobirama was happy.

The worst of all was not being allowed to use his sensory abilities, not even the tiny bit that he used to avoid colliding with walls or other obstacles in his way. Where he usually swept around the house smoothly, he was now walking slowly, a hand always on the wall and with a slight frown on his face. His vision was mostly a blur. He only truly saw anything when he was standing right in front of it.

To make it easier he memorized the amounts of steps it took him to reach one point to another. For example, when he left his nest, it took five steps to reach the Shoji, and another six steps to reach the bathroom. Touka and Hashirama helped by making sure that nothing loose laid on the ground or that everything was placed back where it had been taken from.

Tobirama knew that people with poor eyesight wore glasses, at least those who could afford it. Butsuma never bothered to buy anything for Tobirama, and by the time he was finally dead, Tobirama was already used to moving around using his senses.

But that was only the minor problem. The biggest issue was when Touka and Hashirama told him about the dead prisoners and the possibility that there was someone able to hide from his and Hashirama’s senses. It had cost him a lot of restraint to not let go of his chakra in purpose of finding anything he might have missed before.

Hashirama also informed them about his conversation with Madara, shortly after he returned. Tobirama had listened and only scolded Hashirama about telling Madara of his weakness. No matter how much Hashirama trusts Madara, it was reckless, nonetheless. Yes, they have a ceasefire, but they don’t have peace yet. And the thought that Hashirama hoped to be killed by Madara should he ever lose control one day made Tobirama just more upset.

Not liking to get his brother upset, Hashirama had quickly turned the conversation into another topic. He told Tobirama about Tajima’s illness and how he was unable to heal him. Tobirama had frowned at him, but his curiosity was stronger than his upset feelings, so he let it be. He got even more curious when Hashirama told him in private about the blindness the Mangekyō Sharingan causes when used too much. The only known cure so far was to replace the eyes with someone’s eyes that developed the Mangekyō Sharingan as well, which resulted in gaining the eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and restoring the deteriorating vision.

The problem was that currently Madara was the only Uchiha with a developed Mangekyō Sharingan. And even if he wasn’t then there was still the problem of compatibility. For each Uchiha developed a different kind of Sharingan and in order to use it you needed the necessary chakra and mindset. So, someone with less chakra than Madara might not be able to handle Madara’s eyes, which would only cripple the person.

Tobirama was surprised that Madara would entrust Hashirama with such knowledge, even more that he allowed him to tell Tobirama about it, because that too was a weakness you wouldn’t share with just anyone, especially not with members of an enemy clan, former or not.

At the end Tobirama could just sigh about all of it and make himself useful. His highest priority was the seal to protect their home from unwanted guests. Creating the seals was an easy task, because the only thing he needed to do was to copy the seals he used for his lab and to slightly modify them for the purpose of putting up a bigger barrier around the compound instead of just a room.

The problem came when it was time to activate the seals. To allow a Senju to leave or to enter without a problem, each one of them needed to infuse a small portion of their chakra. For Tobirama it was impossible, because he wasn’t allowed to use his chakra, not even for that. Civilians and young children who couldn’t use any chakra at all were also a problem, though children were less of a problem because they weren’t meant to leave the compound on their own.

At the end it was decided to use the barrier around the compound only in cases of incoming attack. In that case only Shinobi needed to infuse their chakra into the seals so they could leave and re-enter when forced to retreat. Meanwhile everyone else would be safe within the barrier. Tobirama could include himself as soon as he was able to use his chakra again until then he’d be useless in a fight anyway.

Another way to protect anyone was to put up barriers around each of their homes if they so far wanted. But that would also mean explaining why they even suggested something like this. The barrier around the compound was easy to explain. The mention of the attack was enough explanation after all, but how to explain why you wanted protections seals on each single home when you never considered it before?

No, that would definitely cause too much suspicion and questions. So Hashirama and Tobirama decided to put only some seals around their own home. If they were right then this unknown figure was after Tobirama and his child and should someone ask then this too could easily be explained with the attack where one of the attackers especially asked after the heir of the Senju clan. And with Tobirama’s current condition it was just understandable that Hashirama as his pack alpha wanted him protected as much as possible.

There was also one question that was answered quite quickly. Since Kagami left, the Uchiha and Senju returned to their routine of exchanging blankets and letters. As Madara and Hashirama had discussed, Madara let Kagami write the story of the raven and fox. Hashirama hadn’t been sure which answer he would have preferred, but the result was upsetting, nonetheless.

In Kagami’s version of the story, it was the fox who won, which meant there was no manipulation involved. That also meant the Uchiha knew exactly what he was doing. Hashirama could only imagine Madara’s reaction. He may have hoped that his clan member would not stoop so low as to rape an Omega of his own free will. Now Madara was probably even more upset that this was not the case.

On the other hand, Tobirama had been curious why the Uchiha were so sure no manipulation was involved. Therefore, instead of writing down his own story of the raven and fox he asked Kagami why he was so sure if the fox truly won. Couldn’t it just be that the raven let the fox win, so he was unprepared for a surprise attack? Of course, the actual question was directed at Madara and Tobirama hoped the man would understand.

And he did indeed. So, a week later he just got a short answer that said the raven was truly dead, which meant Madara was sure about the result. Tobirama couldn’t expect any details of the why, because he was still writing with a four-year old boy, so he let it be and trusted his own brother’s judgement about his childhood friend.

With that more or less clarified, Tobirama turned to the subject of Tajima’s illness. It wasn’t that he was quite fond of the man or whatever, but he was curious. An illness that attacks the chakra coils needs to be investigated. He never heard of it. Therefore, it was important to find out what could trigger something like this and how to cure it. Too bad he couldn’t examine the man himself, but he wasn’t completely without any information. The fact that it was worst around his eyes could be hint that it had something to do with the Sharingan.

Hashirama gave him a very good description of what he felt, what he had tried and what reactions he received. Tobirama got even in contact with Madara’s two younger twin siblings that were both healers. Together they worked out some strategies. The twins regularly updated him about any changes, but they did not make real progress. The only good news was that Tajima recovered from the flu, but it left him still weak and exhausted.

Funnily enough, Tajima, too, wasn’t allowed to use his chakra. They figured it would only increase the degrading of his chakra coils. This made him and Tobirama somewhat equal, though for Tajima there won’t be much of a difference as before. He wasn’t dependent on the constant use of his chakra, not like Tobirama.

But there was still the difference in not using your chakra on your own and being forbidden to use it. Tobirama could therefore sympathize, even if Tajima has no idea about Tobirama's own dilemma.

----

More weeks passed and it was time for Tobirama and Hashirama to decide if they would participate in the Daimyo’s court or not. They discussed the matter over a game of shogi in their living room.

“Are you sure, otouto?”

“I see no reason why not. It’s important for you to go. The ceasefire between Uchiha and Senju will be officially announced. It’d be counter productive if one of the two clan leaders is missing. The clans will be skeptical if that’s the case even if it’s the Daimyo himself who declares the ceasefire as valid.”

“But you still haven’t completely recovered.”

“And I won’t until the baby is born, maybe never. However, I’m fine enough to make the trip. Elder Yumiko said I was good enough to go as long as I won’t use my chakra. The weather is also a lot better. It’s mid-April after all, far from summer I know, but winter is also over. The snow is mostly gone, and the temperature isn’t below zero anymore. And it’s not like I’d walk on my own anyway. I’ll sit comfortably in the carriage and snuggle up in my thick warm fur.”

“I still don’t like it, otouto. What if we’re attacked?”

“Then I trust that you and the rest coming with us can handle the threat. And it’s not like I’m completely helpless either. I might not be able to use my chakra, but I can still use my weapons should it truly be necessary.”

“Still.”

“Anija. Do you fear an attack on our home while we’re gone?”

“No. Not from the other clans anyway. And Touka is more than capable to protect our clan.”

“Indeed.”

“But Tobi…”

“Anija. I know you don’t like it. I don’t like it either. And would my condition still be the same as some weeks ago, I wouldn’t fight you on it. But I’m better now. I hadn’t any problems the past couple of weeks. I’m still able to move without any restraint because my child seems to refuse to grow, which to be honest worries me a lot.”

“Elder Yumiko said the baby is fine. It may be unusual that your belly is not as big as that of other omegas in the seventh month of pregnancy. But this does not necessarily mean anything, as every pregnancy is different. Of course, there is the possibility it may be a side effect of your general health as well. After all you couldn’t stomach much food since the attack and aren’t in perfect health either. Everything your body can provide goes straight to the baby, but to grow to a proper size it might still be not enough.”

“Yeah, Touka said she knows of omegas that hadn’t shown at all. Still, it kind of freaks me out.” Tobirama placed a hand over his slightly curved belly. It wasn’t that he was still completely flat. His stomach has grown over the past couple of months, but not so much like others. He still could wear his normal sized yukatas and kimonos, even if it was a tight fit around his middle.

“Like it freaked you out when you felt the first kick?” Tobirama flinched at the reminder. It had been the middle of the night when he woke up with a sharp pain through his gut. At first he thought the worst was happening and woke up Hashirama in a panic. His brother was immediately on alert and placed a green glowing hand on his belly. For several seconds nothing happened, and then Hashirama started to smile at the same moment as Tobirama felt another sharp pain.

Tobirama snorted, “For their size, they can definitely pack a punch.”

“See, no need to worry then. As long as they kick they’re fine.”

“Yeah? I wish they wouldn’t use my organs as punching back, and especially not my bladder.” Hashirama laughed. There was one awkward moment where they had sat in the living room and ate breakfast. Tobirama was just taking a bite when he suddenly stilled and looked down with a grimace. With a quick “Excuse me” he left his brother and cousin, who had stared after him with confused expressions. It was only when he returned with other pants on that they could guess what happened.

Hashirama’s laughter turned to a sigh when he turned back to the former topic. “I don’t like the idea of you being out of the compound. But I like it even less to leave you here. I know that Touka is strong and so are the others, but that won’t keep me from worrying. Look what had happened last time. If I hadn’t been fast enough then you might have been gone or dead. If the same happens while I’m in the capital then I might not even know you’re under attack. It’s too far away to keep my chakra active for the entire time. Even I will tire out at some point.”

“I know.”, Tobirama pushed his Shogi stone forward, taking one of Hashirama’s. “That’s why I’m coming with you. I don’t fear any attacks from the other clans, not while we’re in the capital. It might even be saver to be there than here.”

“That might be true for open attacks, but no one says you’re safe from hidden attacks. Someone could still try to poison you.”

“Which you know can also happen while I’m at home. Don’t forget that we have people in our own clan that aren’t happy with me.”

“You speak about elder Homura, right?”

“Not only him, but he’s definitely the one who hates my guts most. And he made it clear that he hates that I’m carrying an Uchiha child that might someday become the next clan head. If someone of the Senju clan was involved in the attack two months ago, I’m very certain it’s him. Unfortunately, there is still no proof.”

“Elders Hideyoshi and Makoto are trying to find evidence without much luck so far. However, Hideyoshi reported some suspicious activity around Homura. Which means he’s definitely plotting something.”

“Hm. I suggest taking him with us to the capital. This way we can keep an eye on him.”

“I can’t remember a time he hasn’t joined the group that went to the Daimyo’s court. He very much insisted to continue attending the court even after father died. It’d be suspicious asking him to stay behind.”

“True, but it’s already suspicious that he still insists to attend. Maybe there has been something fishy going on for years without us noticing. He has enough opportunities to speak with people in the capitol without drawing attention to it.”

“Can you remember with whom he had most contact last year?”

“Not really. My priorities had been to make sure you wouldn’t cause any trouble.”

“Eh? Don’t be mean. I always behave when we’re meeting other clans.”

“Yeah? Tell that to the guys who had to drag your and Inuzuka-sama’s drunken asses back to our accommodation while I took care of the other gamblers in that damn gambler house.”

“Ah, come on. It wasn’t that bad.”

“Debatable, but that’s not the point. The point is that I have been too busy with other stuff as to keep an eye on Homura.”

“Well, you won’t be too busy this time, but you won’t also be the one following Homura around. I’ll give that task to Hideyoshi. He’ll follow us in secret.”

“Hm. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without my chakra. I’ll just be your pregnant little omega brother and clan heir that declined to be left alone at home. Still, I can watch people during meals or during the festivities.”

“Do that but promise me you won’t leave my side. The Daimyo’s court may be the time of a general ceasefire between the clans, but as said it doesn’t mean people can’t try something while others are busy and distracted. So, stay close.”

“As you wish mother.” Tobirama snorted.

“Good boy.” Hashirama replied with a grin.

----

“Do you think Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-sama will attend?”

“Well, I’m sure Hashirama would have informed me if they decided not to come, so I guess they will be there.”

“I don’t know nii-san. I find it unwise for Tobirama-sama to travel. He’s six and a half months pregnant. And I’m quite sure he’s still recovering. His injuries had been pretty bad after all.”

“I know, Imouto, but it’s not my decision.”

“Can I come?”

“No Kagami. I know you want to see Tobirama, but it’s not the time and place for a child.”

“Actually, Madara. We thought about it. Don’t you think it might be good if other clans see how a Senju takes care of one of our own?” Misaki asked with a finger pressed against her lower lip.

“Yeah, Madara-nii. The ceasefire between Senju and Uchiha will be officially. What better way to show other clans our trust to the Senju when we let Tobirama-sama play with one of our children in front of them?” Izuya added.

“And what if the Senju aren’t there? Then I have a four-year-old child whining and bored out of his mind. Furthermore, we’re talking about a ceasefire not a peace treaty. And most important, what do you think the other clans might think when they hear Kagami-kun calling Tobirama-sama kaasan? This could backfire if we aren’t careful. They could think the Senju forced us into the ceasefire by bonding with one of our children. Not to forget that it could give people weird ideas.”

“You over-exaggerating brother, but you’re probably right.” Izuya sighed.

“Er, but I want to see Tobi-kaasan.”

“I’m sorry, Kagami, but that has to wait a little while longer. And don’t even think about following us in secret.”

“I won’t.” Kagami said with a pout and his little arms crossed.

“What about father? Do you think it’s wise for him to travel?”

“Father is old enough to decide if he wants to take the risk or not. But if Hashirama and his brother are indeed there, then maybe you two and them can make some progress.”

“That’s if they agree.”

“I don’t see why not. They already helped as much as they could in the past weeks.”

“True. And Tobirama-sama is amazing. He hadn’t even seen father but had several ideas how to help him.”

“Mhm. I agree. Mada-nii, you truly should consider courting him.”

Madara choked in surprise and spluttered, “Wha…what are you talking about?”

“Come on, we know you like his scent. You always get that dreamy expression when smelling his blankets.”

“Wha…Don’t be stupid. You just imagine things.”

“No. They’re right, Mada-nii. Your face turns all mushy and then it’s like we aren’t there anymore. And then you always jerk and turn red when realizing what you’re doing.” Kagami explained, copying Madara’s expression and gestures whenever it happened.

Madara stared at the three, looking each of them into the eyes before blushing, realizing that his hopes no one knew about his crush were in vain. They knew. They knew the entire time.

With a blush that reached the tips of his ears Madara shrieked, “Get out and get yourself ready. We’re leaving in two hours.” His siblings and little cousin laughed.

----

“You’re all right, otouto?”

“Stop fuzzing. I’m fine.”

“When we arrived, you looked pale. So please excuse your worried elder brother, otouto.”

“I just felt a little sick from the constant rocking of the carriage. I’m not used to this kind of transport and being pregnant doesn’t make it better.”

“Should I carry you on our way back then?”

“Don’t be silly. It’d only exhaust you and restraint your movement in case of attack.”

“Why do you ever have an attack in mind as excuse?” Hashirama whined.

“Because the chance is high it happens. Which you know very well. Now, get serious. It won’t be long until we are called out.”

“Hm.” They stood patiently in one of the many rooms close to the Daimyo’s court room, patiently waiting to be the next that are called for showing their respect to the Daimyo. The first had been the noble clans, Hyuuga, Uchiha, Sarutobi and Nara. After that the clans were called out in alphabetical order, Aburame, Akimichi, Hagoromo, Hatake, Inuzuka, Izuno, Kurama, Lee, Onikuma, Senju, Shimura, Taketori, Yamanaka.

The only clan missing was the Iburi clan, who was excused from attending the Daimyo’s court due to their unpredictable transformation into smoke which made them vulnerable to wind as it caused them to disperse permanently and die.

So far it had been the four noble clans as well as the Aburame and Akimichi that had been called. That meant they still had some minutes before it was their turn.

From the corner of his eyes, Hashirama watched his brother. Tobirama looked unbothered, but Hashirama knew he was nervous. Today was the day that all clans would learn about Tobirama’s true looks and if they are attentive also his true second gender.

Which made Hashirama himself nervous. Besides the Senju, and now Uchiha, no one knew of Tobirama being an omega. Butsuma was much too ashamed as to ever allow admitting that one of his sons was born as a ‘weak and useless omega’.

Therefore, Tobirama always had to use scent blockers as well when being on mission or when going into battle. From there it didn’t take long and most thought Tobirama was either a beta due to his absent scent or an alpha due to his taller and slightly broader version that his disguise showed people.

Now, however, Tobirama looked more like an omega or beta than an alpha. While in his disguise form, Tobirama was almost reaching Hashirama’s high, he then now was a little more than a head smaller than Hashirama, just barely reaching his shoulders. He was also slimmer and less broad-shouldered than most of his age. The lack of food and muscles doesn’t help either, making him look more petite and fragile than they liked. Something that will hopefully change when the pregnancy is over.

But what made Hashirama truly nervous was how beautiful his brother looked. As brothers there wasn’t any kind of improper attraction, but that doesn’t make you blind, and Hashirama can admit that Tobirama was gorgeous. He looked very much like their mother.

Over the months, his hair had grown a little past his shoulders. It was unclear if Tobirama planned to let it more grow out or if he might cut it again, but for now he decided to just let it be as it was with just some minor cut changes.

He wore a white Haori with some blue water like features on it. Beneath he wore a dark blue kimono that was held together by a light blue obi that only barely hid the swell of his belly. The Haori would help to cover it up, but again depending on the perspective people might still notice it.

And this will be the moment all hell might break out. As soon as the clans realize that Tobirama is an omega, a very beautiful and seemingly fertile omega, they will ask Hashirama for his hand. It wouldn’t even matter that he’s pregnant with a child from another alpha. Alone the fact that Tobirama was the brother of the only Mokuton user was reason enough to try and mate him. The child in itself will most likely even be a bonus when people learn who the sperm donor was.

Hashirama got so lost in his mind that he didn’t even notice how the air around him changed. All his instincts were screaming to take his brother and run, no matter the consequences.

“Anija. Calm down.”

“…”

“Anija. Stop or you will alert the entire palace.”

“I…I can’t. Tobi. We shouldn’t have come. They…” Suddenly, Hashirama’s arms were full, and his head pressed against a pale neck exactly were Tobirama’s scent gland was. The scent blockers dulled his ability to smell his brother’s rain forest smell, but it was enough to finally regain his control.

“What has you so up the wall, Anija?” Tobirama asked carefully, not letting go until he was sure his brother regained his composure.

It took a minute for Hashirama to answer and it let Tobirama himself tense up, “I just realized that we would go into room mostly full of alphas who might turn very interesting to ask me for your hand in marriage.”

“Oh. I…”

“I won’t let them.” Hashirama tightened his grip around Tobirama. “I promise you. You won’t have to mate anyone who isn’t to your liking.”

“I…Okay. But I don’t think anyone would want me. I mean…”

“Everyone in their right mind would want you, otouto. You’re beautiful, you’re smart and you’re one of the strongest Shinobi living in Hi no Kuni and in regards of the other countries Shinobis. Forget what father said, what others of our clan say or said. It’s all a lie.” There was a slight blush building on Tobirama’s face. He remembered Kagami’s saying almost the same thing. Were they right? Was Tobirama truly so good looking? Yes, he was smart and also strong, well at least he was in the case of the latter, but would people truly think he was beautiful?

“I…” Tobirama tried to form words, but truly didn’t know what to say to that, so he just decided not to think more about it. He will probably get his answer in just a few minutes.

Before Tobirama or Hashirama had any chance to say anything more, they were interrupted by a knock on the door. “Senju-sama. Are you and your heir ready?” Hashirama didn’t answer immediately, but Tobirama could feel him taking some deep breaths before withdrawing from him.

Tobirama looked into Hashirama’s eyes and was glad that his brother wasn’t crying. It’d undignified to step into the court room with puffy red eyes.

“You’re okay?” Tobirama whispered.

“Yes. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. We are the next.”

“I know.” Hashirama straightened and fixed his clothes. Tobirama did the same and when both were ready Hashirama opened the door.

“We’re ready.”

“Then come. You’re next.” The adjutant turned and led them to the door to the court room. They waited for another minute until they heard the Daimyo’s assistant call their names. The doors opened and both walked in with a neutral expression.

Chapter Text

“We are to welcome clan leader Uchiha Madara and his new designated clan heir Uchiha Hikaku. Enter.”

Madara was the first to enter with Hikaku hot on his heals. They were the second of the four noble clans to enter. The first had been the Hyuuga, whose clan leader and heir were already sitting on their spots near the throne. Like the Uchiha, the Hyuuga were one of the oldest clans living in Hi no Kuni and the first who received the title of a noble clan. That’s why they were also the first to greet the Daimyo.

The Uchiha were the second clan receiving the title of a noble clan, followed by the Sarutobi and Nara. Besides being one of the oldest and third biggest clans in Hi no Kubi the Senju never reached that status, mostly because in their origin the Senju had been a clan of farmers and scholars. It was only later that the clan also became known as a clan of Shinobi.

No one truly knew when the feud between Senju and Uchiha started or why, but it must have been at the same time when the first Mokuton user appeared among the clan. Now it’d be the current Mokuton user together with Madara who planned to end the feud once and for all.

However, there was one other clan the Uchiha despised, maybe even more so than the Senju. And that was the Hyuuga clan. Those arrogant pricks thought to be the mightiest with their Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan. Madara could only scoff at such arrogance, but what Madara despite the most was the use of a cursed seal.

The Hyuuga proclaimed the seal was necessary to protect the secret of their Kekkei Genkai, but in Madara’s opinion it was just a poor excuse for what’s truly going on. That seal was nothing else as an enslavement seal, that allowed the main branch of the family absolute control over members of the branch line. One wrong word, one wrong look could be enough to be punished with a simple hand gesture. Should there be the slightest hint of a member being in danger to lose a fight, then the seal could be used to cause death to that very person.

Madara couldn’t even imagine using such a seal on his people. The hate he’d see in their eyes, days in and days out. He probably wouldn’t even be able to sleep in fear they might finally turn on him and his family. And they would without a doubt. Madara had no idea how the Hyuuga could live like that. Not that he truly cared. Uchiha and Hyuuga came to an understanding a long time ago to stay away from each other. And so far it has worked just fine, though it was also thanks to the fact that they weren’t living at each other’s front door.

When they were close enough, Madara and Hikaku bowed, the latter a little deeper than the former, to show their respect to the new Daimyo. Madara was also the one who said aloud, “In name of the Uchiha clan, I, Lord Uchiha Madara, clan leader of the Uchiha, greet the ruler of Hi no Kuni and have come to pledge our respect and loyalty to him. We also wish your excellence a long life and good health.”

“Greetings Lord Uchiha. Months ago, my father received a very interesting missive and since then I’m looking forward to hearing the story behind it. I’m sure the other clan leaders would like to hear the story as well, especially when it ends in a ceasefire between the two biggest and strongest rival clans.”

“As you wish, Madoka-dono.” Without hesitation Madara and Hikaku turned and got to their respective seats on the other side of the throne. Madara felt an immediate dislike for the new Daimyo. It had only been a month ago that the old one died. Cause of death was seemingly a nasty cold the old Daimyo was unable to fight off. Nothing special, considering how many people die during the winter seasons. And the current winter has bben harsher than those before. And despite his title, even a Daimyo could fall ill and die on it.

Still, Madara had a strange feeling in his gut that something wasn’t right. Alone the fact that he wasn’t informed about the Daimyo’s death weeks ago was suspicious. It was only when they reached the capital that they heard about the former Daimyo’s son being the new Daimyo.

As soon as he sat Madara made brief eye contact with the other clan leader who only wore his typically blank expression. They didn’t exchange any greetings or respectful gestures and just turned their heads to the entrance when it was time for the Sarutobi to enter.

From there it was a waiting game. The new Daimyo hadn’t said anything about the Senju not attending, so it was very likely that Hashirama was already waiting to be called in, and that together with his brother, most likely.

The Sarutobi greeted the Daimyo and took their places next to the Hyuuga. Then followed the Nara, who then took their places next to Madara and Hikaku. After that it was the turn of the non-noble clans.

Clan after clan was called in in alphabetic order until it was the Senju’s turn to be called. Madara expectedly looked at the doors with a perfectly neutral face. That was until he saw the person coming in and slightly behind Hashirama.

Madara’s jaw dropped, and most likely that of several others as well. Not that he could tell at the moment. Did he hear wrong? Hasn’t the Daimyo’s assistant said Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama? There was indeed Hashirama, but the other person next to him? It was impossible that this was Senju Tobirama. He looked nothing like the demon his brother fought on battlefields, not the person Madara had seen being stabbed all those months ago.

“Shikari-sama?”

“Shh.”

Madara only slightly noticed the whispers coming from next to him and from other parts of the room. All his attention was focused on the being that bore a frightening resemblance to the goddess his clan worshipped so much.

Oh, kami, his clan. Madara risked a quick look at Hikaku, and as expected, his jaw was almost on the floor with a slight flush covering his face. Madara couldn’t blame him, he himself was fascinated of the white-silver haired teenager, man. And, oh kami, those eyes. A perfect scarlet red that showed brighter than any Sharingan could ever do. It was also different from the darker red that eyes of an alpha could turn into. Though those with no special eyesight could easily mistake it as the eyes of an alpha.

At that thought, Madara glanced at the Daimyo, who seemed mesmerized by the appearance of the young Senju heir as well. However, there was also a tension in his body language that Madara wasn’t sure how to interpret.

“In name of the Senju clan, I, Senju Hashirama, clan leader of the Senju, greet the ruler of Hi no Kuni and have come to pledge our respect and loyalty to him. We also wish your excellence a long life and good health.” Madara’s gaze turned back to the two Senju, though his eyes immediately landed on the younger of the brothers. Now that they were even closer, Madara could even take a closer look at Tobirama.

He was truly looking nothing like what Madara could remember he normally looked. He was smaller, slimmer and less muscled. His skin was almost white instead of the usual tan. The only thing that hasn’t truly changed beside the color of his marks that were now red instead of black was the shape of his face, though it seemed he was missing some fat around his cheeks.

Madara frowned. Actually, it wasn’t just his face. His clothes seemed more lose around his shoulders. In general, his clothes seem to be one or two numbers too big for him. Then Madara’s eyes landed on Tobirama’s middle. There was…nothing. Tobirama should be over six months pregnant by now. So why does it seem that he hasn’t grown a belly? Had he lost the baby?

Madara’s thoughts run. Could it be? Did Tobirama lose the child? Was he even pregnant? Could Izuna have been…no, no. Hashirama wouldn’t have lied. Kagami, too, mentioned to be sad that he couldn’t feel the baby yet, because it was too early. But why, oh. There it was. No mistake. It was barely visible, but Madara could see the slight stretch of Tobirama’s kimono around his middle, even if the obi was covering most of it.

Madara almost sighed in relief. Somehow the thought of Tobirama having a miscarriage was disturbing. Hashirama had told him that his brother wanted the child despite the fact of how it was conceived. So, he didn’t want to imagine how the omega would have suffered should it have been the case.

Still, Madara was confused why Tobirama wasn’t more showing. Shouldn’t it be more obvious by now that he was expecting? His thoughts came to a sudden halt at the words leaving the Daimyo's mouth.

“Senju Hashirama. I’m pleased you managed to attend my court. But you see me a little confused. Who’s that person next to you?”

“My Lord? Didn’t you receive my message?”

“Did I ask you about a message?”

“Uh. No.”

“So, who is that? I’m quite certain to remember that your brother and heir had blond hair and brown eyes when I saw him last time.”

“Madoka-dono, this is indeed my younger brother and heir Senju Tobirama. Our father…for his own sake he used a disguise to hide his appearance.”

“For his sake?”

“Yes. You see, my brother is an al…”

“Omega. Oh, I see. You thought to hide his omega state. Senju Tobirama. Please step forward.” Madara stiffened and his eyes snapped to the Daimyo, who was staring at the younger Senju with an expression Madara immediately disliked.

“Madoka-dono…” Hearing Hashirama uncertain voice turned Madara’s attention to his friend who looked confused.

“Step forward, Senju Tobirama. Don’t let me repeat myself.” If possible, Hashirama got even more tense, and Madara could see how he was fighting against his instincts. Meanwhile, Tobirama stepped forward in slow steps. Madara didn’t miss how Tobirama’s hand slightly brushed over Hashirama’s when he passed him.

The court room was silent, everyone watching and wondering what was going on. Madara could truly feel the rising tension in the air, and he was worried about what the Daimyo had in mind. He truly hoped he wouldn’t do anything that might set off Hashirama. Even with all clan heads in the room, Madara wasn’t sure they could handle an enraged Hashirama.

He dared to look at the other clan leaders. They seemed unfazed, but he could see it in their eyes. They were all confused and nervous.

Meanwhile, Tobirama stopped three steps away from the Daimyo and offered him another respectful bow.

“Greetings, Madoka-dono. My condolences for your sudden loss. May your father rest in peace.”

“Mhmm. He sure does.” Madara frowned at the carefree tone. He glanced over to Nara Shikari, who wore the same frown as him. She met Madara’s eyes for a brief second and gave him a subtle nod, letting him know that they would speak later. Madara returned the gesture and returned his eyes back to Tobirama and the Daimyo.

“Interesting. You look nothing like your father or brother. How is that?”

“It’s a defect called albinism. You’d call persons like me usual an albino.”

“Ah. I see. I heard of their unique features, and now that I see one it’s truly astonishing. However, seeing an omega with red eyes is far more interesting. Say Tobirama-kun. Don’t you think it’s very offensive to step in front of your ruler with eyes that should only belong to an alpha?” Time seemed to freeze.

You could hear a needle drop so silently it had become in the court room. Then it was Tobirama’s own voice that broke the silence.

“Please accept my apology, Madoka-dono. I’ll remove myself and…”

“Remove yourself? Did I give permission for you to leave just like that?”

“…”

“Nothing to say, Tobirama-kun?”

“If you want to punish me…then I have to ask Madoka-dono to consider my condition and show mercy to the child I’m carrying.”

“Oh? So, you’re indeed pregnant? I guess congratulations are in order then. Who’s the happy alpha that managed to tame the demon.” Madara could barely breathe. Something was terribly wrong. He glanced at Hashirama, who had tightened his hands to fists. He also could feel the light tremors under the surface, something the other clan leaders surely had noticed as well. Hashirama was short to snap and lose control.

Madara’s mind run a mile per hour, and he saw only one way to stop whatever was happening. He hoped Hashirama wouldn’t kill him on the spot.

Madara stood, “Madoka-dono. It was actually meant to be announced at a later date, because it has been…not made officially yet, but…the child is mine.” From the corner of his eyes, Madara could see Hashirama’s head snapping up. He could practically feel the eyes boring into his head. Not only those of Hashirama, but from everyone else as well. The only exception was Tobirama who seemed to have frozen in his spot.

“Yours? Is that the reason for the ceasefire?”

“Yes.”

“My, my. Who would have thought. Uchiha Madara bedding a Senju, the heir no less. Interesting. However, Madara-san. I’m confused. I see no bite mark. Does it mean…”

“It doesn’t mean anything, Madoka-dono. Senju Tobirama and I met during a mission. We both had been in disguise, both identified as beta men. We only discovered later the truth, to be precise after Tobirama-san had been injured during one of our battles. While treating his wounds it was discovered he’s pregnant.”

“And how do you know it’s your child?”

“Because I can feel the child’s chakra and can identify its chakra as mine. Unfortunately, I only realized it after Tobirama has been injured. I had no chance to tell Hashirama, because he was gone before I’d truly process it.” This was a blatant lie, of course, but who was the Daimyo to challenge him on it.

“Oh? An interesting story, Uchiha Madara. Unfortunately, I heard something else. Rumors say the father is actually one of your clan members who seemingly was tricked by Senju Tobirama to bed him.” Madara froze. No. No, no, no. He promised no false rumors would spread.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. “I assure you, Madoka-dono, the rumors are false. The only one who tried to force himself on Senju Tobirama was my clan member who also tried to kill him a months later. During the fight he had slipped some information, and I got suspicious, so I investigated. The result of the investigation is that Senju Tobirama is innocent. He was already heavily injured from another fight when my clan member found him. Fortunately, Tobirama-san managed to knock out his attacker and escaped.”

“Fortunately?”

“Yes. At this point he was already pregnant with my child.”

“I see. And your clan member? Was he punished?”

“He’s under house arrest and won’t leave the compound for the foreseeable future, if ever. Rape, even if only attempted, is a serious crime. We’re still investigating if there might be other victims we don’t know of.”

“I see. One last question. Do you attempt to marry Senju Tobirama?”

“If he’s willing.”

“Hm? Why don’t we ask him.” With a smile that looked more like a smirk the Daimyo turned his attention back to Tobirama, who hasn’t moved the entire time and was looking to the ground.

“Well, Tobirama-kun? Would you be willing to marry Uchiha Madara and become his omega?”

“I fear that’s not my decision Madoka-dono. As you may know, I only turned 18 two months ago and therefore am still considered a minor. Even if I was willing, the law would still forbid me to marry before I turn twenty. In addition, as my pack alpha and brother, it’d also need Hashirama’s agreement to the union.”

“Hm. That’s true. But that also means that Madara-sama took advantage of a minor.”

“Madara-sama was unaware of my identity. As he mentioned we both were in disguise. I looked like a middle-aged beta man, and so did Madara-sama. We hadn’t known who the other was or that we had the same mission. Therefore, we both mistook the other as a part of a group we were following and tried to get information from each other. Well, somehow it got a little out of hand and we both ended up in bed. When I woke up in my own room the next morning, the group of slavers had gone. I tracked them and when I found the group they all had been dead already. The only body missing was that of the man I slept with, which either meant he wasn’t a slaver, he escaped, or he was another Shinobi in disguise I haven’t noticed.”

“And the group you hunted, who were they?”

“Slavers from the land of iron.” Madara almost choked. It can’t be. Now way. Everything that Tobirama said was completely true. Does it mean...Madara stared at Tobirama. It was him. That man. It had been Tobirama. No doubt. The only difference between the man and Tobirama was that he didn’t wear any face markings, had bright blue eyes and hair as bright as the sun.

Oh, kami. He had slept with Tobirama. But does it mean? Madara’s eyes widen. Does it mean, Tobirama was indeed pregnant with Madara’s child instead of Haro’s? He shook his head. It was impossible. Neither Tobirama nor Madara had been in heat or rut.

Still, the chance wasn’t completely zero, right? Madara felt suddenly very weak. His gaze wandered to Hashirama, who was still staring at him with something that looked like betrayal. Oh, kami. How should he explain that to him? Hashirama will kill him.

“Hashirama-sama.”

“Yes, Madoka-dono?”

“Well, will you allow a union between Madara-sama and Tobirama-kun?”

“I won’t.”

“You won’t?”

“Indeed, I will not force my brother into a marriage. And should someone try then they have to kill me first.” Any threat Madara had ever heard was nothing in comparison to what he heard now. No, not quite right. Madara should say that any threat he heard from another person was nothing in comparison to Hashirama. Even the Daimyo seemed to have realized his mistake.

“I…Of course not. You’re dismissed.” Tobirama gave another polite bow before taking a few steps back. As soon as he was close enough, Hashirama wrapped a protective arm around Tobirama’s waist and led him to their seats at the far end of the court room.

Madara himself fell back on his seat, his head pounding.

“Madara?” Hikaku asked in a low voice.

“Later Hikaku. Be prepared to meet a very, very angry Hashirama after. I need to speak to him and his brother immediately.”

“What’s going on?”

“The story you just heard, about me and Tobirama meeting in disguise?” Hikaku nodded. “It’s true. It’s all true, Hikaku.” Madara whispered while staring at his hands in disbelief.

“I…I see.” Madara was grateful to have a cousin like Hikaku. He was smart enough to understand the reason why Madara was so disturbed.

Chapter Text

“Hashirama-sama?”

“Yes, Hanata-san?”

“Please excuse my interruption, but we have guests. It’s Uchiha-sama and his heir.”

“I see. Let them in.”

“Yes, sir.”

It took only a minute before another knock disrupted Hashirama’s thoughts.

“Come in.” The door was opened again by Hanata, who made room for Madara and Hikaku to enter.

“Hanata-san, please asked Yumiko-sama to bring us some tea.”

“Yes, sir.” Madara had no time to react, because as soon as the door had closed, Hashirama stood in front of him like a clap of thunder with his fist raised and flying into his face. With a loud thud Madara landed on the ground holding his cheek.

“Damn it, Hashirama.” Madara stayed on the ground and rubbed his bruising cheek with one hand.

“Don’t you dare. Be glad I didn’t do anything worse.” Madara hold up his hands.

“Anija. Stop that. I told you it isn’t his fault.” Tobirama cut in.

“He took your innocence. I can’t just…”

“I hadn’t been innocent since I was four. Stop it.” Tobirama growled. Hashirama growled right back, deeper in tone and more aggressive as he might have intended. However, Tobirama just rolled his eyes and tapped at the seat next to him.

“Come here, Anija, and calm yourself. Madara-sama, Hikaku-san, please take a seat.” Tobirama waited until everyone had taken their seats. 

“Please forgive my brother. He hadn’t taken the news of Madara-sama and me very well.”

“I hadn’t noticed.” Madara muttered and received prompt a growl as an answer from the older Senju. Meanwhile, Tobirama ignored both of them and instead looked at Hikaku.

“I must admit, I was surprised when news arrived Izuna wasn’t longer the heir. I hope he’s well?” Next to Hikaku, Madara tensed, though it was still Hikaku who answered, or at least he tried to.

“Izuna-san is…alright. It’s just…”

“Izuna doesn’t agree with the ceasefire. He hates your guts and thinks everything is a plot planned by you to destroy our clan. Don’t misunderstand me, I love my brother, I also can understand his mistrust to a certain point. However, he’s obsessed with the idea of you planning our destruction.”

“I…see.”

A knock alerted them of Yumiko’s arrival. She entered with a tray of tea in hand and took the seat on Tobirama’s free side.

“Greetings, my name is Senju Yumiko. I’m an elder of the Senju clan and also the head healer.” Madara and Hikaku introduced themselves and greeted her respectfully.

Then it was time to start to talk about what had happened. “I assume, you are here because of what happened in the courtroom. So, let’s start with it.” Tobirama began.

“Uhm. Sure. Maybe let’s start with our new Daimyo. It seemed he had an agenda with his provocations.” Madara said.

“I’d like to know who spread the rumor he was mentioning.” Hashirama growled. “I thought I made clear I wouldn’t tolerate any false rumors spreading.”

“I was as shocked as you were. The entire situation was weird. I can’t even describe it. Alone his reaction when Tobirama gave his condolences and wished his father to rest in peace. He behaved like he didn’t care at all. Why was he so focused on Tobirama? You said you sent a letter to warn him. And yet he refuses to know any of it. Did you inform him about the pregnancy?”

“Yes I did. Maybe in the chaos of his father’s death it got lost. Though I doubt it.”

“So, if he truly hasn’t read your letter then his act when Tobirama asked mercy for his child wasn’t actually an act. Still, I can’t stop the feeling that this was the exact plan. Force Tobirama to reveal he was pregnant. And then he asked him in front of everyone who the father was. What was his goal? It felt like he wanted to humiliate Tobirama in front of everyone. I needed to stop it.”

“And you thought claiming the child as yours and to lessen the crime your fellow clan member committed was a good idea?” Hashirama snarled.

“I tried to protect Tobirama from whatever the plan was. I’m sorry I lied about the rape. It was…I didn’t want everyone to think Tobirama is an easy target. That even if he’s injured he's able to protect himself. And by claiming the child as mine the Daimyo wouldn’t have any opportunity to force Tobirama into a possible bond with someone he didn’t want.”

“And you think he wants you?”

“I won’t force Tobirama into a bond. You know it. If you hadn’t refused straight away I’d have asked for a courting time of at least two years, maybe even more. After all, Tobirama is still a minor.”

“A minor you slept with.” Hashirama growled deeply.

“Unknowingly. I had no idea that it was him. Even now I’m not sure if I just imagine things. And when we are at it. Haven’t you told me there was no other possible option for a father?” Madara pointed an accusing finger at Hashirama, barely suppressing his own growl.

“I fear it’s my fault. I told Anija there was no other possible father to the child I’m carrying.” Tobirama cut in.

“What?”

“You heard me. Hashirama was worried my assault wasn’t a one-time event. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember having slept with anyone before and therefore told him there was no one else.” Tobirama took a sip from his tea. “Weirdly enough, I can remember most of the mission. I know I disguised myself as a beta man with the name Minari. I had long blond hair and blue eyes. Sounds familiar?”

“Indeed.”

“If I’m correct, you were a beta man called Jiro with short brown hair and green eyes. We met in Tonika village. I saw you speak with one of the slavers and thought you might be part of the group.”

“Right for the first part, I can’t confirm the last, but I guess it makes sense.” Tobirama nodded.

“I was the first to approach you. I introduced myself as Minari and told you I had just arrived with a few others of the slavers.”

“A second group?” Hikaku asked.

“I thought so at first. I had followed them for two days until they reunited in Tonika village. It was then I realized they were a smaller splinter group, possible scouts. It’s possible they worked with the Hagoromo. Anyway, because of the way I introduced myself, Madara thought I was part of it.”, Madara nodded, “What confuses me, how we ended up in bed. I never slept with anyone before, of that I’m 100% sure, and though I don’t truly care about my virtuous in regards of sex, I wouldn't stoop so low and bed a slaver.”

“Neither would I.”, cut Madara in.

“Not when it’s not a part of the mission. However, it never was a part of any of my missions. Even when Butsuma was still alive, Hashirama made sure I never had to go on honeypot missions.", Tobirama continued without pause.

“So why did we do it anyway?”

Silence.

“I don’t know. As I said, my memories are still blurry. I didn’t even know when you mentioned the mission. I just went with the flow and came up with an excuse. I had no idea that we actually talked about the same mission. However, the moment I said we slept with each other without knowing, Anija…”, Tobirama pointed with a thumb over his shoulder at his brother, “…had an eye on you. Therefore, when I mentioned who we were hunting, he saw your reaction and came to the conclusion that everything I said was true. Well, and you being here, some kind of confirmed it.”

“Wait, wait. Does it mean you weren’t sure if we talked about the same mission? You just picked up a mission you remembered that was close to what little I said?”

“Yes. I have no memory of sleeping with you or you in disguise.”

Silence.

“What the hell?” Madara cursed a minute later, staring at Tobirama who choose to take a sip from his tea with eyes closed.

“Uhm. I’m confused.” Hikaku started with a hand in the air, “If Tobirama-san can’t remember, what does it mean exactly? And how landed you in bed when there was no interest?”

Madara opened his mouth and closed it again and instead buried his face into his hands.

“Fuck. What’s going on?” He muttered then. Tobirama stared into his cup of tea with a thoughtful expression.

“It’s weird. I thought I lost my memories because of what happened to me. I might have been unconscious during the act itself, but this doesn’t change the fact that it happened. I mean I didn’t even know I was raped until I was told that I was pregnant. So why should it not be possible to forget anything else having to do with sex? However, the more I think about it the more I realize how small the chance is it being the case. Our encounter happened two weeks before my encounter with the other Uchiha. I’m sure from the moment I returned home at least Touka would have noticed that something happened, no matter how much I might have tried to hide the truth. Furthermore, we both should have reeked of sex.”

Tobirama looked at Madara. “How much do you remember of our night? Can we be sure we slept with each other or are our minds playing a trick on us both, because you just boldly claimed the child is yours?” Madara took a deep breath and then lifted his head from his palms.

“It is as you said. You were the one approaching me. The group found shelter in one of the gambler houses and it was there you started to speak to me. We played a few rounds and drank sake. From there? I’m not actually sure. Still, somehow I know something happened between us. In the courtroom…when you said we ended up in bed…a memory flashed up in my mind. Of…you and me. That’s why I have been so sure. Now, however, I can’t tell. Could just have been a…wishful thought.” Madara turned bright red at the admission and needed to dodge another swing of Hashirama, who leaped over the chabudai.

“How dare you.”

“Shit, Hashirama. I was just honest.”

“What? That you wish to bed my brother? Again? No way in hell I’ll allow it. You may be my friend, but I won’t allow you to disrespect my brother by such pervert ideas in your head.”

“Oi. We don’t know if anything happened.” Madara yelled.

While Hashirama hunted Madara down in the small room, Hikaku observed Tobirama, who tried to hide his own flush behind his cup of tea. He also didn’t miss how he had put a hand over his belly.

“Is everything alright, Tobirama-san?” Tobirama looked up and realized he wasn’t as subtle as he thought he was. He put the cup of tea back on the chabudai and cleared his throat, his face returning to its usually snow-white color.

“I’m fine. The little one is just a bit too excited.”

“Excited?”

“Mhm. Hasn’t stopped kicking since we left the court room.” The next second a green glowing hand was on Tobirama’s belly belonging to Hashirama who was again sitting next to his brother with a now worried expression. Madara, who could successfully avoid Hashirama’s grab also returned to his seat and watched curious how Tobirama seemed to relax.

“Is it bad when they’re kicking? I thought it’s a sign an unborn is healthy.” Madara questioned, staring at Hashirama’s hand on Tobirama’s belly with a feeling of envy. Then he remembered what he thought in the courtroom about Tobirama not showing. He thought about asking but decided against it. He didn’t think Hashirama would react well…

“The unborn is fine. The problem is also not of them kick so much, but the discomfort it brings to Tobirama. You see, despite being of a smaller size the little one can kick quite hard.” Yumiko explained.

“Smaller size?” Hikaku asked, leaning a little forward in curiosity. Because of the chabudai and the hand over his belly, not much was seen of Tobirama’s middle.

“Tobi isn’t showing as much as other would at this time of pregnancy. For those not knowing, Tobirama looks like he was only three or four months pregnant, instead of seven.” Hashirama said with a slight aggressive undertone.

“Interesting. It’s rare, but I heard of one case where it was the same. Hart to imagine how a baby can grow without the outside world noticing.” Hikaku observed for a few more seconds before a frown built up in his face. “Madara-sama. You said you aren’t sure anymore something happened?”

“Yes. The more I think about it the less I can recall. It’s like something is…oh damn it.” Madara started to curse.

“What?” Hikaku asked worried.

“Hikaku. You need to check my memories. I’m quite sure something is blocking them.”

“How?”

“A seal.” Both Uchiha turned to Tobirama, who was petting Hashirama’s head buried into his neck.

“A seal?”

“Yes, a seal. Think about it. You are an Uchiha with the Mangekyō Sharingan. Simple manipulation wouldn’t work for you. Even those with a normal Sharingan should be difficult to manipulate in mind.”

“Hm. But when?”

“Even a Sharingan user can be put into a Genjutsu when their Sharingan isn’t active. There would also be the option of being drugged, but I certainly would have noticed if something was put into my drink. I always check in beforehand.” Tobirama explained.

“Same for me. So, a Genjutsu then. It’s not impossible. Still, even without the Sharingan active I’d have noticed if I was captured in one. On the other hand, who knows how powerful our enemy is. I mean if they are able to hide from you then it’d also be possible for them to capture and keep me under a Genjutsu for longer than a few minutes. There is also the option both was involved.”

“It’d also mean they knew it was you and Tobirama in disguise. Which also mean they have watched you for several days if not longer.” Hikaku added.

Tobirama nodded slowly, “Considering our assumption that someone is after a child carrying both our bloodlines then my guess would be that we both were put into a Genjutsu, given a heat and rut triggering drug and then marked with a memory altering seal after.”

“But…heat and ruts last at least four to five days. We were just there for a night.” Madara pointed it out.

“Who says, it was just a night? It’d have been longer. From what I can recall the slavers had stayed an entire week in the village. And an omega’s heat also ends as soon as an egg has been successfully fertilized.”

“Tobirama is correct. Sometimes, it only takes one knot to successfully impregnate an omega. It usually speaks of both partners’ high fertility.” Yumiko jumped in. Madara turned bright red and didn't dare look at anyone, especially not at Hashirama, whose killing intent was very much touchable. It surprised him that Tobirama seemed completely unfazed by it. Even Yumiko had some pearls of sweat forming on her forehead.

“Ah, if we take this in consideration then Madara must be very fertile.” Tobirama said with eyes closed. Madara choked and if possible turned even more red.

“Wh…What do you mean?”

“Well, it’d be impossible for me to get pregnant. Or so was the assumption until it was discovered I’m with child.”

“Huh?”

“You see, I hadn’t had a heat since I presented as an omega.”

“Why? Had you an accident or something?”

“Butsuma.” Hashirama suddenly spat.

“Butsuma?” Madara asked confused.

“Wait. Is it that what you meant?” Hikaku asked wide eyed.

“Hikaku?”

“Remember. The day we met Hashirama-sama at the Naka River because we wondered what was going on. You know, the day shortly after you sent the offer for a ceasefire.” Madara looked at Hikaku confused. Then realization hit and his focus turned back to the two Senju, or more so to the older one, who seemed frozen at his brother’s younger side and with head still buried into the neck.

“You said, you’re no clan of rapists and even if you were that you wouldn’t send your brother after an Uchiha because of what your father had done to him. What has he done?” Madara couldn’t suppress his growl this time.

“He poisoned me. Hashirama wasn’t at home and when he returned it was already too late.” Tobirama opened his eyes and stared at the two Uchiha with a blank look.

“There is a reason why I’m telling you this, because I deem it necessary for you to know should you truly consider me as a potentially mate. This child, regardless of how it was conceived, is a miracle. I decided to keep it because it’d be my only chance to ever have a child on my own. I know there are people who wouldn’t agree with me. That a child conceived under such circumstances is a curse and should be get rid of immediately. I don’t care. It’s my child, my body, my health and therefore my decision. And I decided to keep it, and I’ll protect it with everything I have.” Tobirama’s tone turned hard and determined through the end and there was a fierceness in his eyes that let Madara’s heart beating faster.

And then Madara fully realized the implication of what it could mean for himself. If…If this child was his, and if…only if…Hashirama and Tobirama agree to a bond between Tobirama and Madara then…then it’d mean…it would mean…

“I don’t care.” Madara growled, more at himself than at anyone else, banishing any doubts forming in his mind. “I don’t care whose child it is. Yes, I’d prefer it if it is mine. I won’t lie. But if it’s not then it won’t change my devotion to my family. And should you become a part of it, then this child will be family. I’ll accept it as mine.”

“Why would you want me? I’m sure you have several nice omegas in your clan that are interested in being your mate. They will provide you with heirs as much as you want.”

“I’m not interested in women. Never have been and will never be. And the only male omega we had was more than twice my age. Furthermore, I always thought I’d die before finding a mate with whom I’d build my own family. When my older siblings died, it was hard. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose any of my younger siblings. I’ll probably go crazy should I ever lose a child of my own.”

“That doesn’t truly answer my question. Male omegas may be rare, but I at least know of four within the other clans you’re also allied to.”

Madara frowned, “If you’re not interested to bond with me, just say it. I wouldn’t have offered when I’d be against the idea. The child has nothing to do with it at all. It has also nothing to do with your appearance. Though you look pretty well, gorgeous.” A deep warning growl reminded Madara of Hashirama’s presence and he immediately shut his mouth.

“Hush, Anija. I want to hear why an alpha like Madara would be interested in an omega like me.”

“I’m not sure if I truly want you.” Lie, since his first inhale of Tobirama’s scent, Madara knew he found his potential life mate. But better not to reveal too much too early, or else Hashirama will kill him. “However, I like your scent. Something important if you want mate someone. From all I know about you, you’re a very intelligent man. You haven’t refused Kagami the help he needed, what tells me that you aren’t the cold-blooded demon everyone claimed you to be. I admire your strength. You are even willing to help my father, my clan. You’re even willing to raise a child of Uchiha blood that had been forced on you. All that together makes you a very attractive person.”

“I see. And what if I refuse and the child I’m carrying is indeed yours. What then?”

“I’m sure we can figure something out. I’m not interested in taking away the child from you.”

“And what about your elders? If the child is yours, then it’d be also the future heir to your clan. They will insist that we bond before it’s even born.”

“I’ll kill them if they try.” Hashirama whispered.

“They can insist as much as they want. At the end it’ll still be me who has to agree to it. Yes, I said I’m willing, but I also said I will court you first. And that will only happen if you AND Hashirama agree to it. He’s still your pack alpha. And I’m respecting him too much as to go against him when it comes to his family.”

“I see.”

Yumiko cleared her throat, “You both forget that the child will also be the future heir of the Senju clan as long as Hashirama doesn’t produce an heir of his own. However, before we go into deeper discussions, I suggest we find out if the child is indeed Madara-sama’s or not.”

“Right.” Tobirama nodded in agreement and so did Madara.

“Hashirama.”

“I’ll do it, Yumiko. I don’t want anyone touching my brother.”

“Of course.”

Hashirama took another deep breath before he is withdrawing his head from Tobirama’s neck. It was only then that everyone noticed how much on edge he was, because his eyes had turned into a deep alpha red.

“Give me your hand, Madara.”

“Anija.”

“I won’t harm him, otouto.” Madara hesitated only for a second, fighting to keep his own alpha in check. Hikaku and Yumiko had bowed their heads in submission to the superior alpha, but Madara’s own alpha refused. At least he was smart enough to avoid looking into Hashirama’s eyes. Otherwise, they would have a much bigger problem.

If two alphas refused to submit then a fight was almost unavoidable, and most fights ended in blood if not worse death. Madara was fully aware of being the weaker alpha, but he needed to prove that he was a worthy alpha that wouldn’t easily submit in front of a stronger alpha. Not if he truly wanted a chance in courting the omega in front of him.

It took barely a minute before Hashirama’s grip on Madara’s hand became tight and hurtful. Still, Madara managed to swallow the growl forming in his throat and patiently waited for the other alpha to let go.

“Congratulations. You are the father. Get out.” Hashirama spat.

Madara froze in his seat.

“Re-Really?”

“Madara. Let’s go.” Hikaku whispered urgently. Confused Madara looked at Hikaku whose head was still bowed. Then he heard the warning growl becoming louder and more aggressive with each passing second.

“Hashi…”

“Madara-sama. Please, let me escort you outside. I’m sure your other companions are already waiting for your return.” Yumiko interrupted him and stood up.

Like in daze, Madara stood and followed Yumiko to the door with Hikaku close on his heels. Before he could leave though, he heard Tobirama calling his name, so he turned and met the scarlet red eyes of the mother of his child.

“Madara-sama. Be assured I hold no grudge against you, nor do I blame you for anything that happened. We both were tricked. And even if my brother is currently very mad, he knows it as well. Even the strongest Shinobi can be tricked or killed. Remember it.” Tobirama titled his head. “I suggest you return the day after tomorrow. We won’t leave our quarters tomorrow. Hashirama will need time to calm down. If you try to get your memories unblocked in case they haven’t been erased, which is also a possibility, then please send me a short note if a seal was indeed used or not. Otherwise, we can try together the day after tomorrow.”

Madara nodded without removing his eyes from Tobirama’s, “Call me Madara. No matter what happens next, you’re the mother of my child. No need for honorifics.”

“As you wish Madara. Call me Tobirama then.”

“Until the day after tomorrow. I wish you a good rest, Tobirama, Hashirama.”

“Same for you.”

----

“Where have you been? We already started to worry. The welcoming ceremony ended almost two hours ago.” Misaki demanded to know as soon as Madara and Hikaku stepped into their quarters housing the Uchiha delegation.

“Misaki-chan. I think it might be better if…” Hikaku began but was interrupted by Madara’s sudden outburst.

“I’ll be a father, Imouto. Tobirama’s child. It’s…it’s mine. Not Haro’s. MINE.”

“Wh…WHAAAAAAT?”

Chapter Text

“Wh…WHAAAAAAT?”

Somewhere deeper in the quarters something shattered. And suddenly half a dozen Uchihas appeared behind Misaki.

“Say that again, Madara. Because I think I misheard.” Tajima stared wide eyed at his son.

“I’ll be a father. Tobirama, he…he’s pregnant with my child.” Tajima stumbled backwards, and it was only thanks to Izuya that he didn’t find himself on the ground. Madara was quick to help Izuya keeping their father from falling and helped Tajima to sit down on the chabudai.

The other Uchiha just stood frozen in shock.

“I…I think you start from the beginning, Anija. Where have you been? What happened?” Misaki stuttered.

“Let’s sit down first. This is much more complicated than we thought.” Hikaku said and made his way over to the chabudai where Izuya and Madara tried to calm Tajima, who still stared wide-eyed at his son.

It took almost an hour to explain what happened in the courtroom and then later in the Senju quarters. The Uchiha listened closely, and some shared worried looks here and there, but no one interrupted Madara and Hikaku who took turns telling the story.

When they finally finished it was silent for several minutes until Tajima found his words.

“And you…you’re certain? There is no mistake?”

“Yes. Hashirama checked himself. And I could feel it. There is no doubt. This child is mine.”

“So I…I’ll be a grandfather then?”

“Yes.”

There was a gasp coming next from Tajima and Madara’s eyes landed on his sister, who hold her hands in front of her mouth. He barely understood the words she mumbled out, “I’ll be an aunt?”

“Oh, I think I guess I’ll be an uncle then.” Izuya said almost at the same time. “Oh, kami, Izuna will have a heart attack.”

“I think we have other things to worry about.” Tajima stated.

“Indeed. First of all, I need Hikaku to check my memories. We need to find out what is blocking them.”

“Are you sure? Maybe it’s better to wait until…”

“No. If there is indeed a block in my mind I want it gone. Who knows what else I’m missing. Maybe it wasn’t the only time my memories were altered. I can’t take the risk. Izuya and Misaki can have an eye on me.”

“I still think we should wait.”, Hikaku sighed, “But who am I to go against your wish.”

“I trust you Hikaku. You may not have the Mangekyō Sharingan, but you’re the expert when it comes to reading memories. If there is truly something wrong then you’ll find it.”

Another sigh left Hikaku’s mouth before he nodded, “Well let’s see if your trust isn’t misplaced. I just hope you’re aware that whatever is revealed I’ll see it.” Madara flushed at the thought, but knew there was no other way. The elders would demand proof of the claim and…he wanted to know. He needed to know if he did something harmful to Tobirama. After all, alphas in rut could get very aggressive during the mating.

“Okay everyone. Please leave us for now. And no word to anyone outside this room. Understood?” Tajima ordered sternly. He was glad Hjouske and Fusaku hadn’t returned yet from wherever they were. And he wasn’t looking forward to them finding out. Hjouske for sure will use it to get his son out of house arrest.

Then realization hit, and Tajima choked, immediately drawing everyone’s attention to him.

“What is it, otou-san?” Misaki asked worried, stroking Tajima’s back.

“Madara, are you aware of the consequences when an Uchiha tries to kill another Uchiha, especially if it’s a member of the main line and potential heir?”

Madara titled his head, “Of course. Why do you ask?”

“Haro.”

It took some seconds before it clicked in Madara’s mind. Then his eyes turned alpha red, and he snarled, “That bastard. He almost killed my omega, my child.”

“Wow. Your omega?” Misaki exclaimed, eyes wide. The other three also looked a little flabbergasted at the sudden claim. They already knew that Madara had a crush on the Senju heir and yes he might have offered his hand in marriage, but so far Madara either denied his crush or was careful with showing his interest.

Madara took a deep breath, and his eyes returned pitch black. “Senju Tobirama is my omega. Pregnant or not. From the first inhale of his scent my alpha recognized him as my life mate. There is no doubt about it. I can’t no longer deny it.”

“Your life mate. That’s…wow.” Izuya had no words. Finding your life mate was rare. It doesn’t mean you couldn’t find a mate you love and care for, but a life mate meant the highest compatibility and a bond unbreakable once formed. It also meant the definite death if one of the partners died. The survival chance of a bonded pair was low enough which was reason for many couples to only form a half-bond with the alpha claiming the omega with a bite. But in the case of life mates even a half-bond could mean the death of the remaining partner.

“That stays between us, for now at least. I don’t know if Tobirama is aware, and I certainly won’t tell Hashirama. He probably hates my guts right now. Better not put fuel into already burning fire.”

“It can’t be that bad?”

“It is, Izuya-san.”, Hikaku answered, “Hashirama-sama was close losing his control. He was already on edge when we left the courtroom. And he was even closer when he confirmed Madara is the father. Madara, who he considers as a friend and who he believed meant no harm to his family. Therefore, for him it probably feels like a betrayal.”

“But Madara was tricked. They both were.” Misaki scoffed and crossed her arms in offense for her older brother.

“I can’t blame him. Tobirama is his only remaining sibling. And now he finds out that he wasn’t just raped by one Uchiha, but was also tricked to sleep with another, which also can be considered as rape. The only difference is that we both are the victims, while Haro knew exactly what he was doing.” Madara defended Hashirama’s behavior.

“What will we do now? And what will you do about Haro? From what you said everyone thinks he only attempted to rape Tobirama-sama. And you can’t just punish him for trying to kill him. If you do then you would also have to punish Izuna-nii.”

Madara gritted his teeth, because his sister had a point. Madara looked at his father who wore a frown on his face. “Misaki is right. Neither did I claim Tobirama as my omega nor did either of us knew about the child he’s carrying.”

“Right. I forgot about it for a moment.”

“So, it means nothing will change. Just because I lied to the Daimyo and other clan heads, we and the Senju still know the truth. I also said that we are still investigating if there are other victims. Which isn’t a lie. Sango and Kikyo already started to track down the places Haro has been. I expect their return in a couple of months. Depending on what they discover I’ll decide what to do about Haro. And I already have something in mind.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“I’ll remove his Sharingan.” Madara growled. “Never again will he use our gift from Amaterasu for such a heinous act.”

“Sounds good. And what is your plan for Tobirama? Will you truly accept if he refuses to become your mate?”

“I won’t force him, Misaki. I’d rather kill myself, though I think Hashirama will be much faster to run a sword through my chest should I ever hurt his brother.”

“But what of the baby then? If you don’t marry Tobirama, then he won’t join our clan, and you might not see your baby growing up.”

“I guess we must speed up our plans. With a village the distance won’t be a problem any longer and I, we, will be able to see the baby on a daily basis.”

“But to build the village will take years.”

“Maybe, but that won’t stop me to start the negotiations about a peace treaty as soon as we are back home. With any luck, we might even be able to start with the village in such a couple of months. We just need to find someone who actually has an idea how to construct a village. After all, it’s much bigger than a compound and we won’t be the only ones living there besides the Senju.”

“It shouldn’t be much of a problem with enough funds to lay the foundations. You said it yourself once, Madara, many of our houses need repairs. So instead of wasting our money on them, we can just use it for building new houses where the village will be.”

“Precisely. However, it’ll be a discussion for a later date. What I want to do now, is getting my memories back.”

“It’s already late Madara. Let’s get some sleep first. Tomorrow, we have enough time to do it. I’m quite sure whatever it is blocking your memories won’t be easily removed. And the day has already been taxing enough.” Tajima reasoned.

“Otou-san is right, Anija. I’m tired.” Misaki agreed with a yawn.

“Me too.” Izuya added yawning as well.

“I’d really need some rest Madara. And I need to clear my mind first before I enter yours. Today’s revelations were shocking, and Hashirama-sama’s alpha presence almost made me faint. I’m still shivering to be honest.” Hikaku admitted.

“True. That bastard. No idea why he thinks I might ever be able to kill him.” Madara mumbled, though it was still loud enough for the others to hear.

“With all respect Madara, don’t be an idiot. You sat in that room and barely showed any reaction at all. You didn’t submit and you successfully avoided a fight that probably would have ended in bloodshed otherwise.” Hikaku said.

“Tsk. It’s only because I needed to show him I wouldn’t submit easily to an alpha stronger than me, not if I want a chance to court Tobirama.”

“Madara. Have you looked Tobirama in the eyes?” Tajima asked suddenly.

“Huh? Eh. No, not really. I mean, he looked in our direction, but his eyes were always directed slightly above or next to the eyes.” Madara looked at Hikaku, who nodded in agreement.

“He wasn’t the only one. I think Hashirama was actually the only Senju who made direct eye contact.”

“I see.”

“Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing. I just remembered a story my own mother told me. I, maybe, I just thought it might have been not just a story at all. But…it doesn’t matter.” Tajima shook his head.

“What story?”

Tajima let his gaze wander from one to another before settling back on Madara, “You know the story of Amaterasu and how she blessed our clan with the Sharingan.”

“Yes, we all learn it when being toddlers.”

“Indeed. You also know at what high price the blessing comes. The stronger the Sharigan the higher the price you have to pay.”

“Like the risk of getting blind after activating the Mangekyō Sharingan.”

“Yes. Either you turn blind or someone else will in your stead, that is when they not already on their death bed. However, my mother told me about a story where an Uchiha awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan when they met and looked into the eyes of their life mate that had the same eyes as our goddess. A person blessed by Amaterasu.”

“Wait. What are you saying exactly? I thought we don’t believe on things like people blessed by Amaterasu just because they look similar to her.”

“No, not anymore. But there has been a time when our clan was obsessed with people that closely resemble our goddess. An obsession that almost got our clan killed. Many Uchiha had been lured into traps by using those so-called Amaterasu’s blessed. Out of fear and love to our goddess our clan refused to hurt them, which almost was our downfall.”

“Why did we stop? I mean, you can’t just change your beliefs from one moment to another.” Misaki asked enthralled from what she heard.

“Because of Amaterasu herself. It’s said she appeared in one of the priestess dreams and claimed Amaterasu’s blessed people don’t exist. The only blessed are the Uchiha themselves, because of the Sharingan she gave us. To emphasize her claim, all the so-called Amaterasu’s blessed that had been living in the temple were found dead the next morning. A very cruel but also very effective way to teach a hard lesson.”

“Indeed. But what has it anything to do with the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Why do you think I might awaken it should I look into Tobirama’s eyes?”

“The story of my mother is about the lover of our founder, the first Uchiha that ever existed. It’s said he turned almost insane, that he had killed two of his closest friends to gain the Mangekyō Sharingan in hope to get powerful enough to kill his own younger brother who has been chosen as successor by their father. Before it could come to a fight though, he met this person who resembled Amaterasu to a point where everyone thought it was her own child. When they locked eyes, he awakened his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. They recognized each other as life mates and left the village to form their own clan. And it wasn’t long before the first Uchiha child was born.”

“I guess that lover is also the reason why our clan became obsessed with those looking similar to our Amaterasu-kami?”

“Yes. As said, many thought the person was one of Amaterasu’s own children, sent to stop our ancestor to kill his own brother. Because of them becoming lovers, it got even rumors started that the person was sent as a gift.”

“And? Has the rumors been right?”

“Who knows. Nothing is known about the lover of our founder, except that they have been murdered very gruesomely a few years after our clan founding. Which, of course, also killed our ancestor as well.”

“Interesting. How come you never told us before?” Misaki asked a little disappointed.

“Well. I was very little when your grandmother told me the story. And I never truly believed it. Like I said, I thought it was just a story.”

“A story, you now think could be more than be just that.” Madara assumed.

“I don’t know.”, Tajima shrugged, “It was my mother who gave me such version of our clan founding. The priestess in our temple never mentioned how the lover looked like, where they have come from or whatever. The only thing we are taught is how Amaterasu blessed our ancestors with the Sharingan to fight a false kami. That was it. We neither know who this false kami is, where they have come from nor what exactly happened to them. Yes, it’s said they have been sealed away, but what does it exactly mean? Are they dead? Do they still exist? Is there a possibility of them coming back? Are there possible more false kami? We don’t know it. Also, I don’t know why it crossed my mind. It’s not as Tobirama looks anything like Amaterasu.”

Silence.

“Madara?” Tajima watched his son, who had frozen up just to exchange a look with Hikaku a second later.

Madara’s gaze turned to his father, “Uhm, about that. Seems Tobirama managed to create a henge that actually can hide his appearance from the Sharingan.”

“What? What do you mean?”

A little sheepish Madara said, “Tobirama very much resembles our goddess. Not just a little, but pretty much in everything. He has the same red eyes, skin as white as snow, silver-white hair, and he even has red markings on his face. If I wouldn’t know better, I’d say he’s the male version of Amaterasu-kami.” Tajima, Izuya and Misaki gaped at the description.

“I…Why? Why would he…I mean, what?” Misaki stuttered.

“We haven’t asked, but my guess it’s because of Butsuma. The bastard must have hated him the moment he saw the red eyes. And what he has done…wouldn’t he be dead then I’d kill him myself.” Madara growled with his eyes turning slightly red again.

“What has he done?” Tajima asked with his own growl added to his voice.

“Let’s just say that it shouldn’t be possible for Tobirama to carry a child.”

“Tell me you’re kidding.”

“No, unfortunately not. And I won’t tell you more. Tobirama only told us, because of my proposal to marry him.”

“Are you…are you telling us…”

“The child Tobirama is carrying will probably his first and last, which also means if I marry him it’s very likely that it will be the only one we will ever have. And considering who he thought the father was at first, it might also be the only reason why he decided to keep it at all. Because it was his only chance to have a child on his own.”

“Or because he’s an omega. Omegas rarely chose an abortion no matter how the child was conceived.” Misaki mused.

“It’s more likely because they are forced to keep it. Especially if an omega is used as breeding stock. However, among the clans it’s more common to let the omega choose what they want. And in those cases, the omega chooses mostly an abortion. And you said it yourself, Imouto, if something like this happened to you, you’d probably choose an abortion as well.” Misaki stared into her lap and responded with a brisk nod after a short time of silence.

“Let us stop for today. We will continue our discussion tomorrow. After Hikaku scanned my memories.” Madara said and helped Tajima on his feet. Without a word, the others stood as well and cleaned up.

Just as their reached their shared bedroom, Tajima stopped Madara and looked him in the eyes, saying, “Madara. More than ever, you need to have a close eye on Hjouske and Yashiro. Before, they might only have thought about kidnapping the child from Tobirama. Whatever they claimed, it still was of their blood. Now they will go for the kill. They won’t tolerate a potential heir with Senju blood. And they will try harder to get rid of the mother.”

“What should I do? Our laws forbid killing clan members.”

“Our laws don’t forbid an alpha to protect their family, Madara. And as soon we announce Tobirama is carrying your child, you have every right to kill them if they try anything.”

“But, I still need proof.”

“Madara, the moment you announce becoming a father, you’ll get your proof.” Madara frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“Just watch and keep your sensor abilities open. People tend to make mistakes when they get too emotional.” Madara was sure there was something his father wasn’t telling him, but he decided to let it go and not to push.

Chapter Text

The next morning after breakfast Hikaku sat across from Madara with the twins and Tajima being next to them.

“You’re ready, Madara?”

“As ready I can be.”

“We still can wait and…”

“No. I want to know if something is blocking my memories, and I want to know now.”

“If there is truly a seal involved then I might not be able to break it.”

“I’m aware. Let's get it over with, Hikaku. I know you’re nervous, but so am I.”

“It will be more taxing without your Sharingan having recorded the events. I suggest you bring forward the first memory you have of the mission, and we go from there.” Madara nodded and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, both his and Hikaku’s Sharingan were active.

“Here we go.”

----

“Slavers?”

“Yes. Regarding the reports, it’s a big group splintered into several smaller ones. The mission would be infiltration, finding out the exact number of them, if they have a base and if they are allied to any known blood thieves, maybe even to one of the clans in Hi no Kuni.”

“I see. From how it sounds they aren’t from Hi no Kuni?”

“Unclear. Rumors say they might be from the land of iron and try to start to expand their business within other countries. Finding out is also part of the mission.”

“And what if we find the base?”

“Destroy it.”

“Hm. Infiltration is Izuna’s forte. He can gather the needed information while we prepare for the strike.”

“Uhm, Izuna-san isn’t back from his mission yet. And he probably won’t be back for at least another week.”

“Right. I forgot. Well then I guess I’ll take on the mission.”

“You could send Setsuna or Takahiko. They’re both available.”

“Nah. It had been a while since I was last on a mission. My social skills are rusty. And taking down some slavers will be a pleasure. Depending on how many there are I might just strike them down on my own. If they don’t have any remarkable Shinobis in their ranks, it’d be child play, especially if I take them by surprise.”

“As you wish Madara-sama.” Taiko gave a short nod and disappeared back to his post.

It took Madara three days to find the group of slavers. He watched them for a while and determined a target he could switch with. It was that Jiro guy that got Madara’s attention. He was new to the group and not very well known, which made him the perfect target. So, when the guy went for a piss in the middle of the night, Madara struck him down and took his place. Neither of the other slavers noticed anything.

They traveled for three more days until they reached Tonika village. During that time Madara learned that the slavers indeed were from land of iron and wanted to expand their business. For that several groups had been sent out to search for a perfect place for a base. Madara’s group deemed it too dangerous to settle down anywhere near to the biggest clans in the south and hoped one of the other groups find a good place.

One by one the other slavers arrived until only one was left. By then Madara counted thirty members and estimated five more being in the last group, because it was the same number as the other groups had been. 

After another day passed, the last group arrived. At first, it wasn’t the five Madara estimated, but only four of them until another one deemed it necessary to introduce himself to Madara when the entire group reunited in the gambler house to drink and play.

The man, a beta, introduced himself as Minari. He was good looking, but not much of Madara’s type, even less so because he was a slaver. Madara hated them. Nonetheless he tried to get some information out of the guy who seemingly tried the same with Madara, which was confusing… and suspicious. Still they layed a few rounds and had some drinks.

Just when Madara wanted to careful sense the other’s chakra someone bumped into them and spilled their entire drink over Madara and Minari. Annoyed Madara kicked the person away and excused himself. He needed to change.

Muttering to himself, Madara went to his room, but stopped at the sudden feeling of being watched. He turned and then…everything became a fog.

----

Pearls of sweat formed on Madara’s forehead, and a headache erupted behind his eyes. He barely heard his sister calling his name.

“Madara. Please stop, Aniki.”

He felt Hikaku withdrawing from his mind and memories and almost collapsed into himself.

“Are you alright Hikaku?” Madara could barely open his eyes and was only vague hearing Hikaku’s heavy pants over his own.

“Help them to lay down.”, came the low voice of Tajima. The next second, Madara felt hands guiding him down. It took him almost fifteen minutes to put himself together again.

When the headache damped down to a mild pain, Madara deemed it good enough to open his eyes and to slowly sit up again.

“Dammit. That hurt.”

“I’m sorry Madara. I tried to push through the fog, but it became denser the more I tried.” Hikaku apologized while also sitting up.

“It’s okay Hikaku.”

“Madara-nii. Tobirama-san had been right.”

“With what?”

“A seal. Someone indeed placed a seal on you.”

“Wha…Where?” Madara looked down in reflex, but most of his skin was covered.

“You need to go to the bathroom. The seal had been placed around your temples and forehead.” Madara tensed slightly and lifted a hand to his head. Of course, there was nothing he’d feel alone from touch and therefore he stumbled to his feet and went to the bathroom. And indeed, there was a seal. His hair covered most of it, so Madara pulled it back to see all of it.

Automatically, Madara activated his Sharingan to remember how it looked, because he noticed how it started to fade on the edges. Just a minute later it was completely gone. Not gone. But again invisible for everyone to notice.

He returned to the others with a disgruntled frown, “I need paper and a brush. I need to show Tobirama the seal when morning comes.”

“Do you think he might be able to dissolve it?” Izuya asked.

“If not him, then hopefully the Uzumaki. They’re allies. And the Uzumaki are the best seal masters everyone knows of. Tobirama will probably have the same seal on him. If he doesn’t know a way to remove it then he’ll ask his allies.”

“Right.”

Misaki handed Madara a brush and paper, and he immediately began drawing the seal.

“Madara. Tobirama asked us to notice him if a seal is involved or not should we find out before our next meeting.” Hikaku reminded.

“Ah, yes, yes.” Madara finished the drawing just when he heard Hjouske yelling. “Ah shit. Seems he found out.” Madara bit into his thumb and summoned one of his contracts.

“Madara. Had been a long time you called.”

“Ah, sorry Fuku-hime. A lot had been going on. Uhm. If you don’t mind. I need you to deliver a letter to the Senju.”

“The Senju? Why?” The black cat asked shocked.

“Listen. We and the Senju are in a ceasefire. Their heir is pregnant with my child and…”

“A cub? You will have a cub? Why I only hear now of it?”

“Please Fuku-hime. I’ll explain everything to you after you delivered the letter. I promise. I will also have something ready for you to eat.”

“You better do. Seems there is a lot I missed.” The cat scoffed and lightly scratched Madara’s hand when he held out the letter.

“Ow. That wasn’t necessary.”

“Tsk. For months you didn’t summon me and when you do it’s for me playing your little message bearer. Your explanation is hopefully a very good one.”

“Sorry. Please bring that to Senju Tobirama. Be careful. Hashirama isn’t in a very good mood. It’s the reason why I don’t dare to send any Uchiha over to the Senju quarters.”

“Senju Tobirama? The demon? Wait. You got the demon pregnant?” All hairs of Fuku-hime’s fur stood at attention. She never met the demon personally, but she heard enough stories about him over the years, from Izuna in specific. But this wasn’t the worst. Fuku-hime was well aware of who the mother of Senju Hashirama and Tobirama was and who her summon had been.

“Madara. Before I go. I need to ask. Did…Do you know about any summons around the brothers?”

“Huh? No. As far as I know they don’t have any contracts.”

“Are you sure? Their mother had one.”

“She did?”

“Forget it.” Fuku-hime snapped the letter out of Madara’s hand with her mouth and jumped out of the near window.” Madara turned to his father.

“Butsuma’s wife had a contract? With whom?”

“I don’t know. Rumors say it was with one of the rare races, but they also say, Butsuma burned the contract.”

“What?”

“Hn. Don’t ask me Madara. Senju Butsuma was an insane man. I pity Hatake Reiko. From all I heard, she was a strong and unyielding woman. Your mother fought her once and was very impressed.”

“Hatake? How did Butsuma ever managed to bond with a Hatake?” Madara muttered.

“Who knows.”, Tajima shrugged, “What is for sure, they haven’t been life mates or Butsuma had died together with his wife as she took her last breath.”

“I can imagine Butsuma kidnapping her, faking her death or something. The Hatake clan is rarely enough within the borders of Hi no Kuni and even if they are they keep themselves away from any conflict. The chance of them stumbling over their missing clan member therefore was very slim.”

“MADARA.” The door sprung open, interrupting their conversation. “Explain yourself. Why has my son been imprisoned, when it was you who raped the demon.”

“Careful, Hjouske. My son didn’t rape anyone.”

“Ha. Then it was the demon who raped our clan head. If he can manipulate our clan head then he must have done it to my son as well. He’s nothing like a whor….”

“You better shut your mouth.” In a flash Madara was up and pinned Hjouske against the nearby wall. “Much has been said, much of it just to stop from whatever was happening in the courtroom yesterday. Your son is still a rapist. His memories haven’t been altered. You have been there when we checked. Senju Tobirama and I had been tricked to sleep with each other.”

“Let me go, Madara. Whatever you say, it’s utter nonsense. Who do you think you…”

“Was it you? I bet it was you who spread the rumors of Tobirama taking advantage of your son. I think I made myself clear when I said I won’t tolerate false rumors spreading.”

“Tsk. Isn’t it you who lied to the Daimyo?” A smirk crossed Hjouske’s face. “Really, Madara. How can you claim my son to be a rapist when you say nothing happened in front of the Daimyo. So, what is the truth?”

“You know what the truth is. Nothing has changed, except who the father of the child is. And the fact should actually scare you, because your son almost killed my offspring, the future heir of the Uchiha clan.” Madara snarled, his eyes turning alpha red.

Hjouske paled. “He hasn’t known. Neither of us knew.” Then he turned smug. “You can do nothing. If you want to punish my son for almost killing your child then you have to punish Izuna as well.”

“Who says I’ll punish anyone for trying to kill an enemy. Haro is punished for being a rapist not for trying to kill Senju Tobirama while fighting him in battle. Of course, if anyone tries it now, it’ll be a complete other matter. I have any reason to kill whoever tries to kill my omega and child.”

“Your omega?” Again, Hjouske paled.

“Yes, my omega.” Madara drew a little closer, his voice becoming deeper, “Does anything happen to him, you’ll be my first suspect. You and your brother. So, you better be very careful from here on out. If I hear any more rumors spreading I’ll kill you on the spot or even better I’ll push you in a room with Senju Hashirama and close the door. I’m sure it’ll be a delight for him to tear you apart.” Madara got even closer.

“And if this isn’t still convincing you then maybe I’ll give you to our priestess and let Amaterasu herself decide how she wants to punish you.”

“Wh…what has our goddess to do with it. She won’t punish me for trying to protect our clan.”

“Hm? Let’s see if you’re still of the same opinion in a few days.” Madara grinned in smugness, looking forward to seeing Hjouske’s face when realization hit after seeing Tobirama.

Madara let go of Hjouske just to kick him out of the room. The other Uchiha watched the elder landing on the ground with a slight wince and bowed their head in submission when they saw an enraged Madara stepping into the common room.

“I hereby announce openly that Senju Tobirama is under my protection. Any attempt to harm him will have dire consequences. Any attempt of harming his child, my child, will end in death.”

“Are you planning to make him yours, Madara?” Elder Fusaku asked.

“I won’t force him into a marriage he doesn’t want. There is also the fact that Senju Tobirama is still a minor. Therefore, it’ll also be up to Senju Hashirama, older brother and pack alpha of Senju Tobirama, if a courtship will be allowed. Interferences of any kind are unacceptable. Neither I nor Hashirama will accept a politically arranged marriage in the name of peace. So don’t even think about including it when it comes to peace talks between Senju and Uchiha.”

“But, it’s your child Madara, your heir.”

“Until Hashirama has his own child, Tobirama’s will also be the legitimate heir of the Senju clan. And I still have several siblings who may have their own children who can become the next Uchiha clan head. And don’t forget that currently Hikaku is my heir. Even his children would have a right on the position of clan head, should I not release him of the position before I die. So, there is no reason to truly make a fuzz about it.” Madara stepped closer.

“And to make it clear. Haro is still a rapist, no matter what I claimed happened in court. He’ll be punished as soon as any investigations are done. Don’t try to twist it into anything all of us know is a lie. And if I find out who fed our new Daimyo with false rumors, I’ll remove their Sharingan.” Several faces turned pale and Madara saw a glint of panic in Hjouske’s eyes.

‘You little shit. I already know it was you or your brother.’, Madara thought, ‘Not long, not long and you’ll make a fatal mistake, and I can finally get rid of you. It’ll be my pleasure.’

“I advise anyone to keep their heads low while we are in the capital. And keep away from the Senju. You’ll only approach them if I give you permission. Otherwise, don’t expect me to defend you if Hashirama beats the shit out of you.” With that Madara turned and left the Uchiha quarters. He needed fresh air.

----

“How are you feeling Anija?”

“Hmpf.”

“Come on. I know you’re upset. But it’s not Madara’s fault.”

“I ’now.”

“If you know, why are you still upset?”

“I’m upset because of the situation. Someone is playing a game with our lives, with yours in special. I’m upset because I couldn’t protect you. I’m scared of the future. I can’t lose you otouto. What if you go in labor and I’m not there? What if whoever is behind all of it comes and steals the child and leaves you behind dead.”

Tobirama stroked Hashirama’s hair. They both laid in their shared room on the futon. Since the Uchiha left, they didn’t leave the room except if they needed the bathroom. Otherwise, Hashirama clung to Tobirama like a koala, checking again and again if Tobirama and the unborn were healthy. Yumiko came by to bring them some tea or food, but didn’t linger due to Hashirama’s possessive and aggressive state.

“Everything will be fine, Anija. We know of the threat. We can prepare. If everything goes fine we will start our peace talks with the Uchiha as soon as we’re back home. Maybe we can even start to build the village before next winter starts. The Uzumaki will also arrive in a couple of months. Who knows, maybe there will be a wedding soon?” Tobirama gave Hashirama a slight teasing nudge.

“I like Mito. She’s an alpha though. Maybe we clash more than becoming a happy couple.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine, life mates or not. I definitely need some nieces or nephews for my child to play with.”

“Otouto.” Hashirama whined, his ears turning bright red.

“What. Don’t you want some kids of your own?”

“Yes. Yes, but…it’s too soon. I just turned twenty.”

“And? I’m just eighteen and I practically am a mother to an orphan and soon be one to my own child. You’re very much behind dear elder brother.”

“Don’t remind me.” Hashirama grumbled. “And even so. You’re a great mother. I don’t know if I’ll be a good father.”

“Because you fear to be like Butsuma? I guarantee you that will never happen. Neither I nor Mito, or whoever else you might choose as a mate will allow it to happen. I rather fear you’ll spoil them rotten.” Tobirama smiled when he heard the small laugh coming from his brother.

Then a frown appeared on his forehead when he heard a slight shuffle coming from the direction of the window. Hashirama also tensed before he relaxed again.

Then something small and black flew into the room and landed directly next to their futon where Hashirama grabbed it and held it up into the air.

“Oh. It’s a cat.”

“I don’t think it’s an ordinary cat, Anija. Look. It has a scroll in their mouth.” With a little difficulty Tobirama sat up as well and examined the cat carefully.

“Mhhm.” The black cat meowed, just to spat out the scroll in the next moment, so she could talk freely. “You’re very rude. Let go of me.” Fuku-hime scratched Hashirama, who was unimpressed by her attitude.

“Oh. A summon. Who has sent you?” He asked instead.

“Seems Madara sent her.” Tobirama answered, having unrolled the scroll in the meanwhile.

“Madara? He has a summoning contract?”

“Oy. Don’t ignore me. I swear Madara will pay.” She cursed while still trying to struggle out of Hashirama’s grip.

“Let her go, Anija.” Hashirama let go and Fuku-hime jumped a few feet away as soon as her paws hit the ground. And then she hissed at Hashirama when he tried to catch her again.

“Stop it.” Tobirama put a hand on his brother’s arm before his gaze turned to the cat. With a slight bow he said, “Please excuse my brother. He’s usually more careful with animals. But his alpha is currently very agitated.”

“I can see that. Madara had said I’d be careful, but he’d have been more precise of how careful.” She muttered and sniffed the air while also looking around a little nervous.

“Uhm. Are you searching for something?” Tobirama asked.

“No, not really.” She denied and focused on the brothers.

“If you say so. What’s your name. I’m Senju Tobirama and this is…”

“I know who you are. I’m Fuku-hime, Madara’s summon.”

“Nice to meet you Fuku-hime. I assume you’re here to deliver this. Is there anything else?” Tobirama held up the scroll.

“Uh. I actually have a personal question.”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Your mother. I know she had a summoning contract. Do you know where it is?”

“How do you know of it?”

“The contract. It is a really rare one. It belongs to my bigger cousins. My mother. She, uhm, she was the daughter of their leader.”

“Huh? Your mother? Why are you on a different tribe?”

“She made her own contract a long time ago. It’s not forbidden you know.” Fuku-hime snapped.

“Eh, sorry. We don’t know much about contracts to be honest. We didn’t even meet our mother’s contract once. We only know their name has been Arashi and that they must be a kind of animal with a lot of fur. Like this.” Tobirama pointed to a corner where his fur collar hung. “I have a much bigger one at home. Hashirama also has one with a different color. We use them as blankets when it gets really cold. It was gift from mother’s contract, at least she said so.”

“I see. What about the contract?”

“Lost. We don’t know if Butsuma, our father, burnt it or if mother hid it somewhere.” Fuku-hime noticed Tobirama’s hand wandering to his stomach, but she assumed it was because of the baby moving.

“Well, thanks for answering my question. I’ll return to Madara. He has some explanations to do. He hadn’t called me for months and when he suddenly does he wants me to deliver a message. Can you believe it. He better hopes the food he serves is good.” The black cat stood and walked to the window, just to jump out without a goodbye.

“What was that?”

“I have no idea.”

“And what is this?” Hashirama pointed at the drawing.

“I guess it’s the seal blocking Madara’s and probably also my memories.” Tobirama turned the parchment and there was indeed a short note that confirmed his assumption.

“Tobi?”

“Hm?”

“I know it’s important, but…can we wait until after the pregnancy to remove the seal? I…I mean we can try on Madara, but you…we can’t risk putting you into any further stress.”

“I see no problem in waiting for a few more months if this is indeed only a seal meant for blocking memories.”, Tobirama shrugged, “The question is if it’s truly the only purpose of the seal or if it’s doing something else.” Tobirama held the drawing close to his face, a little annoyed that he barely saw anything.

“Tobi?”

“Hm?”

“I suggest we buy you some glasses.”

“We don’t have money for that, Anija.”

“Actually, I put something aside. And before you protest. It’s my money, not from what we use for any clan matters. I have saved it up over the years. I know you use your chakra to orientate yourself, but it doesn’t help you with your actually sight. I also know you work on a jutsu in hope of healing your eyes, but it can be months or years until you finish it. And I want you to be able to see your child without any difficulties. So, please. You don’t have to wear it every time, just…” Hashirama pointed at the script, “…use it for working on your seals or jutsus. It’ll be much safer if you see all of it and not just partly.” Tobirama stared at his brother, who had a reasonable point.

“Fine. It would be nice not to lay halfway over my desk to see what I’m writing.” Hashirama smiled.

“Good. We still have a few hours. What do you think? Should we go now?”

“Now?”

“Yeah. We’re only in the capital for a couple of weeks. As I understood, it takes a few days for customized glasses. So, we shouldn’t wait long for ordering them.”

“Huh. You’re right. You’re sure you’re up to it?”

“Yes, yes, Otouto. I promise I won’t lose my head.” Hashirama jumped from his futon and helped Tobirama up.

“We’d also visit a gam…”

“Anija. I’m pregnant. No gambler houses for you this year, understood.”

“Not even…”

“No.”

“Okay, otouto.” Hashirama sighed with a pout. “You know I’d try…”

“No Anija. Just no.”

“You’re so mean.”

Chapter Text

“Madara-sama.” Madara was just on his way out when he heard someone calling his name. He turned, ready to snarl at the person behind him, just to bite on his inner cheek when he noticed who it was.

“Shikari-sama.”

“Madara-sama. You seem upset. Does something happen?”

“You mean beside the debacle of yesterday?”

“Hm. This was indeed interesting. Would you mind enlightening me what exactly the meaning of all of it was?”

“What meaning? The Senju and Uchiha have a ceasefire.”

“Yes, well, this was indeed a very surprising announcement. Much more interesting, however, is what seemed to have led to it. And even more interesting, or should I say shocking, was to hear how an Uchiha tried to rape a Senju. I’m fully aware it’s not actually my business, but Madara-sama, you understand my worry, right?”

“I like to hear the story as well.” Akimichi Chōjirō cut in, clan leader of the Akimichi. Slightly behind him stood also the clan leader of the Yamanaka clan, Yamanaka Inosuke.

“Ah, The famous Ino-Shika-Chō trio. If there is one the other two aren’t far away.”

“Don’t distract. Except for Inosuke, we heard what had been said. And we’d like to know how much of it is the truth.”

“Most of it isn’t actually your business, but I did expect to give some explanations if I want our contract to last. So, I’ll give you one, not all, but what is important for you to know right now. But, before I begin, I suggest we retreat to a place where we can speak freely.”

“I know a really good restaurant in the city. They have some private rooms.” Chōjirō suggested. Not much of a surprise, Madara thought. The Akimichi was a clan of good eaters. They loved food as much as they needed it, because their techniques consume a lot of chakra. They were probably one of the clans with the highest chakra level after the Senju and Uchiha, at least in fire country.

It took them thirty minutes to reach the mentioned restaurant, and they were given a room in the upper levels with view on the street below. They ordered some food and drinks and made some small talk while waiting. Madara also thanked the Nara clan leader for their quick delivery of medicine. After their order arrived and the waiter had left, Madara checked the surroundings with his sensor abilities. When he didn’t feel any suspicious people close by, he deemed it safe enough to speak freely.

“Okay, listen up. Whatever I tell you doesn’t leave this room. Agreed?” The three clan leaders shared a short look before nodding in agreement.

“What I said in the courtroom wasn’t the complete truth, and it wasn’t actually my plan to lie from the beginning. However, from how the new Daimyo acted, I choose to lie, but also with the intent to tell you the truth later when things have been more settled and clearer. At least that was the plan before you three cornered me.” Madara gave them a disapproving look which didn’t impress the others in the slightest. 

“What did you lie about?” Nara Shikari asked bluntly.

Madara took a deep breath and send a silent apology to Hashirama and Tobirama. “It wasn’t just an attempt of my clan member to rape Senju Tobirama. He actually did rape him.” Akimichi Chōjirō, who had just bitten into his piece of his Yakisoba swallowed out of shock and begun to choke when it went down the wrong pipe.

Yamanaka Inosuke froze and stared at Madara in shock, his mouth slightly agape. Nara Shikari, on the other hand, seemed to have expected it, because she didn’t show any reaction at all.

“Before you say anything. Let me explain what exactly happened.” Madara told them about the last battle between Senju and Uchiha, how it was discovered what Uchiha Haro had done and how it resulted in the ceasefire between the two clans. What he didn’t tell was that until yesterday it was completely unknown to everyone that Madara was the father.

He told them Tobirama’s pregnancy was discovered after Haro almost killed him and that it was discovered later that Madara is the father.

“My clan hired Hashirama and some of his healers to help us. While we were talking Hashirama mentioned the mission where his brother went after some slavers. It sounded suspiciously like my own mission, and I asked a few questions. It came out we indeed spoke of the same mission, and well, the timing for being the possible father fit. Hashirama read my chakra signature and verified it with that of the baby after he returned home. And it matched. It was as much shock as relief. Not that I’d ever blame the child if it wasn’t mine for what their father had done, but seeing the child would still be a reminder of what happened. Not that anyone would forget what happened, but…I think you know what I mean.”

“Yes. And it honors you not to want to blame the child. Senju Tobirama also deserves respect for deciding to keep the child. Not that anyone would have blamed him should he have decided on an abortion. It’s his body and to be forced to keep a child wouldn’t have helped anyone. I have seen children where the mother was forced to keep them. Only a few grew up loved and accepted while the majority were abandoned soon after their birth or grew up neglected and ignored.”

“Still, why have you lied?”, Chōjirō asked, “I mean you wanted to tell the truth anyway right? So why haven’t you?”

“Because I didn’t like our new Daimyo’s attitude. He was strangely fixated on Tobirama. I feared where he was heading, so I came up with a quick excuse.”

“Hm. Madara. Be honest, for me it seemed you were very surprised when Tobirama told us about the mission. It looked like you heard it for the first time. So, what’s truly going on.” Madara cursed inwardly. The damn Nara and their intelligence.

“Why do you think I’m still lying?” He asked neutrally.

“Because I’m very observant. When you claimed the child was yours, Hashirama seemed as surprised and shocked as everyone else was. And you seemed nervous. So, tell me Madara…”, the female alpha leaned forward, “…is the child yours?”

“It’s mine.” Madara said with a voice that let now room for any doubt. “And, honestly, Shikari-sama, it’s not really your business what happens between my clan and the Senju. The only part I deem necessary to clear up is the rape, because I know it’d bite me sooner rather than later if I don’t. The clan member who did it is under house arrest and won’t leave the compound for the foreseeable future if ever. His final punishment will also depend on the investigation currently occurring. Should there be other victims then he might not only lose his eyes, but also his life.”

“I thought Uchiha don’t kill clan members?” Yamanaka Inosuke asked bewildered.

“Usually not. But with almost everything there are exceptions. My clan member hadn’t shown any remorse, and it had been proven that no manipulation was involved. Yes, it’s true I wouldn’t have considered punishing him at all, if he had killed Tobirama. We have been at war with the Senju at all. And neither of us had known about the pregnancy at all, less that Tobirama is an omega. So as idiotic as it might sound, just killing him can’t be considered as a crime.”

“Indeed not. But rape is something completely different.” Shikari nodded.

“Precisely. My clan hate rapists as much as yours do, if not even more. After all next to the Hyuuga have we the biggest target on our backs by bloodline thieves in attempt to steal our Dōjutsu. Children, teenagers, adults it doesn’t matter. At the end they all end up somewhere where they will be used as breeding stock. So how could I ever forgive someone from my own clan to force themselves on others when this is exactly what we fear the most. It’s unforgiveable.”

Madara drunk a cup of sake and settled his gaze back to three clan leaders, “With all of it said, there is nothing more to share with you. Not at this moment.”

“Oh? Sounds like…” Inosuke began but was stopped by loud voices coming from the street outside. Curious, Madara leaned sideways and looked out of the window. There was a group of men seemingly surrounding someone, whose head was covered by an umbrella and who sat on a bench in front of a shop. Still Madara thought seeing a flash of white hair which immediately got Madara’s instincts on high alert.

“What are they doing?” Inosuke then asked when he also spotted the location of the commotion. Shikari and Chōjirō also looked outside.

“Hm, I can’t see much. But seems those guys are upset about something.” Chōjirō said before he leaned back, “Come on guys. Our food…Huh?” Madara excused himself with a short “Excuse me.”, interrupting Chōjirō before he jumped out of the window.

“Where is he going?”

“Seems Madara wants to protect his omega?” Shikari said with a smirk, watching the scene with interest.

“His omega?”

“Senju Tobirama. I pity the alphas. They searched out the wrong omega.”

Inosuke scoffed, “Pity? Come on, if Madara hadn’t gone ahead, then it’d be you out there. And even without your interference Tobirama-san would be fine. He’s the Senju demon after all.”

“You forget that he’s a pregnant omega and one, who had been fatal wounded a few months ago.”

“So? He seems fine.” Inosuke shrugged. Shikari didn’t answer.

It was only a few minutes later that she whispered while watching the scene, “Fine? Then why does he look like a gust of wind can knock him from his feet.”

----

Tobirama and Hashirama walked the market street to one of the glass makers people had pointed out to them after asking around. While his older brother seemed oblivious, Tobirama didn’t miss the glares he received from all sides or some whispered voices that weren’t whispers at all.

He expected it of course, though it made him also a little nervous. He couldn’t use his chakra. And without chakra he couldn’t track people’s movements, which let him open for attacks. 

Luckily, it didn’t take them long to find the shop and Tobirama breathed in relief. He closed the umbrella he used as protection from the afternoon sun and followed his brother inside.

A young beta woman, probably a teenager around Tobirama’s age greeted Hashirama first with a polite smile. At the sight of Tobirama she blushed and stumbled a little over her greeting words.

“Uhm. H-how may I help y-you?”

“My brother needs glasses. We wanted to ask if it’d be possible to create a pair within the next 10 days?”

“Oh. Uh. What kind of glasses do you need?”

“Kind of glasses?”

“Well. There are different sorts. Do you need glasses to better see objections closer to you or for those further away? Or do you only wear glasses for reading? What form shall they have? Do you prefer round glasses, or should they have a form of rectangle?”

“Uh. Ehm. My brother’s sight is truly bad. You could say he’s, ehm, almost blind.”

“Oh. May I ask what kind of glasses you wore before?”

“I never wore glasses. Our father deemed it unnecessary and well I learned to live with it. However, my elder brother here wants to gift me with eyeglasses, so I might see my soon to be born child.” Tobirama lay a hand on his barely noticeable belly. The teenager followed the movement and almost squeaked in excitement.

“Oh, you’re pregnant? How wonderful. My congratulations. How far along are you? You look like you’d be in your fourth, maybe fifth month. What do you think it’ll…”

“Hana-chan. Don’t pester our customers with questions out of business.” The young woman was interrupted by an elderly man appearing from the back door behind the desk.

“Grandfather. I just was…I’m sorry.” She looked down at her feet with a flush.

“It’s fine. I’m actually in my seventh month. I don’t truly care about the gender of my child, but I hope for a little girl to be honest. I grew up with brothers, well until my two younger brothers had been killed.”

“Killed? How terrible.” Hana gasped.

“Yeah. Uhm. It had been years. Eh, what about our order?”

“Ah, right. You need glasses, right? Grandfather, those customers asked for a pair of glasses and if we can make them within the next 10 days.”

“Hm. 10 days is a bit short notice, but manageable. However, I need to determine what sort of glasses you need. So come over here and sit down.” The elderly man led Tobirama to a chair and then pointed to the opposite wall where a parchment with letters and numbers in different kind of sizes were written on.

“Please read the first line.” Tobirama narrowed his eyes and leaned forward a little, though everything he saw was a black blur on a white background. He shook his head and leaned back.

“I’m sorry. I don’t see what is written.”

“Hm. Okay. Then please stand up and move forward until you can properly read the first line.” Tobirama did and stopped when he was about a meter away from the wall.

“What about the third line?” Tobirama stepped forward half a step and a few centimeters before he read the third line.

“Hm. The last line please.” Tobirama almost pressed his entire face against the parchment, but the furthest he got was the fifth line, which was the size he wrote down his notes, out of six.

“That’s enough, thank you.” They returned to the front where the two brothers waited for the verdict.

“So?” Hashirama asked then.

“I fear there is not much we can do. Your brother’s eyesight it truly bad.” Hashirama slumped his shoulders in disappointment before he jerked up again at the grandfather’s next work, “However, we can still create some glasses which allows him to see further than a few centimeters.”

“Really?”

“Hn.” The man looked over to some of their models. “Hana-chan. Please pick up the glasses over there. The one in the middle. Yes this one.” Hana-chan took the glasses and gave them Tobirama after her grandfather asked her to do so.

Tobirama took them and carefully put them on. His sight became sharper, but only a very little. He tried another pair of glasses, but there wasn’t much of a difference as well.

“Not much change.”

“Not much of a surprise, but you still noticed something changed. Which is good.” Tobirama nodded and handed the glasses back to Hana-chan.

“So, you mean you can build some glasses that allow my brother to at least read properly?”

“Yes. At least everything within a five-meter range will be clear, even if not completely sharp on the edges.”

“That’s great.” Hashirama beamed and clapped his hands. “Have you heard, Otouto?”

“I may be almost blind, Anija, but I’m not deaf.” Tobirama scowled at his brother. Hashirama just laughed.

“Right, right. So. About the time. Will you manage building two glasses for my brother within the next days?”

“Why two?” Tobirama asked and crossed his arms.

“In case one gets broken, of course. It happened often enough that one of your experiments exploded in your face.”

“What do you mean often? It was only three times.”

Grandfather and granddaughter watched the brothers in amusement and a little horror. Never had Shinobis visited their shop, and now there were two brothers bickering about how often the younger almost got their home destroyed. They were even more shocked when they learned the two were actually clan head and clan heir of the Senju, one of the strongest clans within Hi no Kuni.

When the brothers finally left, Hana-chan turned to her grandfather, “Say. I never saw an omega with red eyes. How is that possible? Wouldn’t it provoke alphas?”

“Hm. I fear alphas might indeed get offended at seeing an omega with red eyes, but I wouldn’t worry. That omega is blessed by a kami.”

“Huh? Blessed? What kami?”

“I have work to do.”

“Oy, ji-san. Wait. What kami?”

----

Outside Tobirama and Hashirama walked slowly through the market. The weather was nice and Tobirama didn’t want to return yet, so they took the opportunity to look for the stuff Touka wanted and what they might need for the little one when it’s born. Tobirama also looked for a gift for Kagami. The little one might not live with them, but Tobirama still wanted something to send his cub.

An hour or so later, Tobirama needed a break though. Hashirama saw a free bench not far and led his brother to it before going to a Dango shop nearby to buy some food and drinks.

Tobirama closed his eyes just for a second before a shadow fell over him.

“Who do we have here. A single pregnant omega? Where’s your alpha, little beauty?” A bulky man, obvious an alpha, spoke.

“I don’t think he has one. I see no bite mark.” Another pointed out.

“Oh? Has your alpha left you then? What a shame. Such beauty shouldn’t be alone. How you come with us. We swear we don’t mean any harm to you.” As if, Tobirama thought at such blunt lie.

“No thanks.”

“What was it?”

“I said…”, Tobirama slightly moved his umbrella to look up at the group of alphas, “…no thanks. I’m not interested.” The group tensed when red eyes stared up at them and a sneer formed in the leader’s face.

“Are you mocking us?”

“I don’t know what you mean. I’m sitting here and waiting for my brother to return. You were the one approaching me. I politely declined your offer to go with you. At which point you think I mocked you?”

“Don't act like a smart ass. I meant your eyes.”

“What’s with them?”

“You…an omega with red eyes is an insolence to every alpha. Are you challenging us?”

“I have been born with those eyes. And if you look closely, the red of my eyes doesn’t match that of an alpha.”

“It doesn’t matter. You should cover your eyes or better yet just let remove them.” The leader was just ready to pull out a knife when something hit him in the back and got him landed directly in front of Tobirama’s feet where sharp wooden spikes had broken through the ground and were slowly retreating. No one noticed them, except for Tobirama who had felt the shift beneath his feet. Luckily enough for the man, someone interfered before they could fully break through and stab him.

The albino lifted his head from the unconscious man up to the one standing with one foot on the leader’s back. He might not see much, but the scent was unmistakable.

“Madara.”

And that one word was enough to let the group of alphas scamper back a few feet. After all, everyone knew the name of the Uchiha clan leader.

“Tobirama. Where is your brother?”

“I’m right here Madara.” The crowd whipped their heads around to the young man, who held two Dango sticks in one hand and a water bottle in the other. He was smiling, but those who looked closer noticed how forced it was.

“Ah, Hashirama. I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you two won’t leave your quarters until tomorrow.”

“Hm. It wasn’t planned, but there was something I wanted to do and there we are. Unfortunately, I forgot the stupidity of certain people.”

“I see. Do you mind if I join you?”

“Not at all. At least, if Tobirama don’t mind?” Hashirama looked at Tobirama, who shrugged.

“How could I deny the father of my child his request.”

It went silent around them and the group of alphas turned very pale. The next seconds they run leaving their unconscious leader behind.

Madara removed himself from the man and grabbed him at the collar.

“Just a second. I need to remove some trash.” Hashirama watched Madara dragging the man to an alley while he walked over to Tobirama, offering him one of the Dango sticks.

“You’re alright?” Tobirama whispered when Hashirama sat down next to him.

“I’m fine. Had Madara not intervened, the man would be dead now.” Hashirama grunted.

“Hn. Wouldn’t have been a loss.”

“Maybe not. But my reaction still terrifies me. You know that I usually hate hurting people.”

“He planned to cut out my eyes, Anija. I think killing him would have counted as defense.” Tobirama held out the kunai with his free hand. “You just need to trust me to defend myself.”

“Yeah, but it’d have been one against six. A little unfair don’t you think?”

“You saw their reaction. If I had killed their leader they would probably have pissed themselves.” Tobirama snorted. “You okay with Madara being here?”

“Yeah. He just saved you, us, from dire consequences. No matter how much it’d have been justified, me using my powers to kill a civilian in middle of the capital city wouldn’t have been without consequences.”

“Hm. Considering the new Daimyo’s behavior it’d have been indeed become a problem. Maybe you buy Madara a Dango stick as well, as a thank you.”

“I won’t leave you.”

“Then give him yours.”

“No. It’s mine. He can buy his own Dango stick. Besides, if he plans to court you then it’s his task to protect you as well.”

“Well, if you don’t…here Madara. A thank you for my rescue.” Tobirama held out his Dango stick just as Madara sat down next to him. Madara startled at the sudden stick shoved in front of his face but took it with a smile and a thank you. Meanwhile Hashirama looked shocked at his brother.

“Otouto, you can’t just give him your food.”

“Of course, I can.”

“No, you need to eat. Here. Take mine. I’ll buy one more.” Hashirama pushed his Dango stick into Tobirama’s hand before he went to get one more for himself.

“Your brother is right. You shouldn’t give away food that is meant for you.”

“Why did you take it then?”

“Touché.”

“Besides, I still have food, haven’t I.”

“Indeed, you have.” Madara snickered before both turned silent and bit into their Dango. Soon after, Hashirama returned with not just one but two more sticks in hand and gave the second to his baby brother who looked at him in confusion.

“Eat. You look pale, Otouto. If we are done, we return, and I’ll check you over.”

“I’m fine.” Tobirama pouted but didn’t refuse the second Dango stick.

While they ate, Hashirama asked Madara where he had come from so sudden and why he was alone. Madara explained in short how he was kidnapped by the trinity clans and what he had explained to them. Hashirama and Tobirama nodded along, not disapproving of what Madara revealed and what he decided wasn’t the clans’ business.

When they were done, they returned to the residence where Madara said his goodbyes after agreeing on a time for their meeting the next day.

Back in their own quarters, Hashirama checked Tobirama over with the result that Tobirama was indeed fine and was just suffering from some mild dizziness when they had been out. The break and food had helped with his circulation and now he was just exhausted from the day at the whole. Therefore, it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep after he got ready for bed.

Chapter Text

Madara was panting with Hikaku doing the same beside him. Again, they tried to unblock Madara’s memories, though this time they did it within Hashirama’s and Tobirama’s quarters, the same room they have spoken to each other two days ago.

Unfortunately for Madara, the second attempt failed in the same manner as the first one. Again, he saw himself sitting in his office at home hearing about the mission of infiltrating a group of slavers and finding out from where they have come and if they have a base somewhere. Again, he saw himself meeting Tobirama in disguise, who approached him in the gambler house where the slavers stayed for several days. He saw the guy bumping into them and spilling his drink over them, causing the need to change clothes. Again, Madara heard a strange sound coming from behind, and like last time it all ended with a fog spreading around his mind that blocked any other memories of the night, maybe following days as soon as he turned around to look where the noise came from.

Cool fingers on his right and left temple, right next to his own fingers, startled Madara out of his dizziness. He tensed slightly but relaxed almost in an instant when the scent of fresh rain hit his nostrils with a sweetness that only pregnant omegas or omegas in heat exude. And the fact that the cub Tobirama was carrying was also Madara’s made it even more intoxicating. A fact that besides Madara’s assumption of Tobirama being his potential life mate, also explained why Madara was so much more drawn to Tobirama’s scent than anyone else.

Two things which made it much harder not to lean forward and to bury his nose into the albino’s pale neck right where the scent gland was. In fact, it took Madara all his will power to keep still and to not make any noises that could betray his current state of thought. And when he opened his eyes in addition, Madara regretted it instantly, because he was only mere inches from Tobirama’s slight plush tender lips, not full like those of most females regardless of the second gender, but not too thin either. They were just perfect, and Madara really wanted to taste them.

And to torture him further the albino opened his mouth, saying, “Hm, very interesting. From how the seal is placed and from what I can see, I assume it’s somehow connected to the hippocampus, the brain's central memory hub. Unfortunately for me, or us, I can’t do any deeper scans. I’m currently not allowed to use any of my chakra.” It was the last part that finally snapped Madara out of his almost trance. He had been distracted enough by the touch and the scent that he didn’t even notice the lack of chakra to the touch that he had thought was used to soothe his headache.

“What do you mean you can’t use your chakra?” Madara asked then, slightly leaning back so he actually could look into Tobirama’s eyes, who unfortunately saw no need to do the same. ‘Get yourself in order. Tajima’s story about a so-called Amaterasu’s blessed, the lover of our clan’s founder is just that, a story.’ Madara reprimanded himself, though a tiny part wondered if there isn’t more to it. After all, every story contains a grain of truth, right?

“My chakra reserves are too low thanks to the injuries I received during the last battle between our clans and due to the attack a couple of months ago. Kagami leaving the Uchiha compound shortly after didn’t help either, nor did the illness I suffered from and only recovered from some mere week ago. Nothing much of a problem wouldn’t I be with child that is constantly feeding from my chakra, which keeps my level low, which in turn wouldn’t be a problem either if I hadn’t been injured and ill. To make it short, it’s the combination of all that prevents me using any more of my chakra or I risk a miscarriage or, worse, the death of myself and my unborn child.”

“How long?”

“Hm?”

“For how long you aren’t allowed to use your chakra?”

“Until I give birth, probably a little longer until my chakra reserves have reached a more comfortable level.” Madara glanced over at Hashirama, who gave a stiff nod.

“We are researching a way to share chakra, but there are a few obstacles before it’s save for me to do it with Tobirama. It’s too risky while he’s pregnant.”

“Sharing chakra? You mean like a blood transfusion?”

“Not exactly, but similar enough.” Hashirama shrugged. “Unfortunately, the one giving chakra needs huge chakra reserves and the chakra must be compatible with the one you want to replenish. Or so is the assumption so far.”

“You mean I wouldn’t be able to share my chakra with Tobirama, because my nature is fire and Tobirama’s water?” Hashirama nodded. “And what about the child? Won’t I be able to share my chakra when its nature is also water even if we are blood related?”

“Unknown. As said we are still figuring it out. Maybe it won’t even matter what kind of chakra you have in the end. Depending on how much chakra you need to share it might not even matter if you have smaller chakra reserves. You just need to be careful about how much you can offer. So having higher or at least equal reserves as the person needing a chakra transfusion would be less risky.”

“I see.”

“We have drifted away from our actually topic. My chakra levels aren’t any of your concerns.” Tobirama cut in while drawing back from Madara and resumed his place next to Hashirama.

Madara frowned, however, “I think it’s very much of my concern. You’re pregnant with my child after all.”

“Well, if that’s your only concern then be assured your child is fine. We checked before you had come.” Madara averted his eyes at the sharp tone.

“I…”, he took a breath, “I’m sorry. I haven’t meant any offense. Of course, the child is as much yours as mine. And of course, I’m also worried about you. You’re not just the mother of our child, but my future mate, or so I hope.”

“Hmpf. Anyway, there is nothing I can do about the seal, not until after birth.” Madara took the dismissal at it was, though he was a little confused about it.

“What about Hashirama? Can’t he try to remove the seal?” Madara asked a little desperately. He wanted the seal gone as soon as possible. Hashirama and Tobirama shared a look before Tobirama carefully answered.

“We can try, of course, but…I wouldn’t truly recommend it. Hikaku-san already tried to break the seal two times without success, and it left you both a panting mess. Anija might have more chakra to push through, but I fear what might happen if we aren’t careful. It’d end with severe brain damage not even anija can heal.”

“We can ask the Uzumaki. We are planning to invite them within the next month. Tobirama is good with seals, but…”, Hashirama glanced at his brother with an apologetic smile, ”…he isn’t a seal master, not yet. And playing around with a seal connected to the brain is probably better looked at by an experienced seal master like an Uzumaki.” Tobirama crossed his arms with a slight pout, though he knew his brother was right. There was still much to learn, and most of his seals are still in development. And without a sensei (teacher), it might take him some more years to call himself a seal master. After all it takes some more knowledge about seals as just developing one or two.

Madara sighed in disappointment. “Ah, well, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to get involved with the Uzumaki before a proper peace treaty has been established. We wouldn’t anyone to suspect I might have been manipulated by your allied clan.”

“He has a point anija.”

“I guess.”

“With me probably having the same seal, we can ask the Uzumaki if they can remove it. If I know how, then I’m confident I can remove yours, Madara. You just need to be patient until then.” Tobirama suggested.

Again, Madara sighed. Patience wasn’t his best attribute.

“Madara, how is Tajima-san by the way?” Hashirama asked after a minute of silence.

Figuring out the topic about the seal was over, Madara took the opportunity given, though he was a little uncertain to ask, “He’s better. Uhm, he’s actually with us. If…uhm…if you don’t mind…eh…would you…would you take a look at him? I know what I’m asking for might be insensitive, considering his role in…you know, but I, and my siblings, we’d really appreciate it.”

Again, Tobirama and Hashirama exchanged a look that ended with both nodding in agreement.

“We helped so far, so why stop now. However, as mentioned before Tobirama won’t be much of a help right now without his chakra. Though, we still can take a look. But Tobirama won’t touch him. Take his pregnancy as an excuse. We don’t want anyone outside knowing about Tobirama’s predicament. He’s vulnerable as it is, we don’t need to increase the danger to him by more people knowing about it.” Hashirama said sternly.

“No, indeed not. And thank you. The twins will be happy to finally meet you. They have accompanied us as well to keep an eye on our father.”

“It’ll be a pleasure to meet them. For their young age they are already good healers. Very smart.” Tobirama praised with a small smile. “I really enjoy our exchanges.”

“Eh, thank you. I’m proud to hear that. And it’s the same for them. Uh. Do you prefer if we call for them or would you like to accompany us to our quarters?”

“If you deem it save enough then I see no reason why we can’t go to your quarters. It’s the second time you have come to us, so I’d say it’s just fair we go to your quarters. Additionally, why asking an ill person to come to us if we are more than capable to go to them.” Tobirama answered with a slight scoff at the end.

Hashirama gave Madara an apological look and mouthed silently ‘Mood swings’. Madara’s eyes narrowed for a second before they widened in understanding. Mood swings were nothing uncommon for pregnant people and it seemed Tobirama wasn’t spared from it. It explained why he was more aggressive than he had been the day before when they have spoken to each other. It also reminded Madara to be careful of his wording.

----

They decided to meet up after lunch again. It gave Madara and Hikaku enough time to inform the others and to make sure everyone would behave. When a knock sounded through the Uchiha quarters, everyone present tensed up in anticipation.

The knowledge of Tobirama carrying Madara’s child was a relief and nerve wracking at the same time. A relief because it wasn’t Haro’s and the Uchiha main line will have a new addition to their bloodline, and nerve wracking because it is unclear who managed to trick two of the strongest shinobi to sleep with each other and without anyone knowing about it. Not to forget that Tobirama wasn’t even an adult yet, even if shinobis major much faster than civilians. It doesn’t change the law though.

That’s why mating and marriage need the approval of the pack alpha when one or both parties are underage. In the case of Tobirama it means Hashirama. When Madara wouldn’t be already twenty-one and clan head then he’d also need Tajima’s agreement.

From where he was Madara could hear how the front door was opened. He also heard the sharp intakes of several Uchiha what immediately got him alert. It was only when he jumped into the common room that he realized what he forgot to mention to the rest of the Uchiha, namely that Tobirama very much looked like their goddess, Amaterasu-sama.

Everyone in the room stared, their mouth almost on the floor and with cheeks redder than a tomato. Madara wasn’t sure if he’d laugh or being embarrassed, because he was sure he looked the same when he first saw Tobirama like this in the courtroom.

Madara was obviously enough to notice Hashirama’s change from happy to visit a friend to overprotective brother and was therefore quick to step in and to draw their attention to him. “Hashirama, Tobirama, welcome to the Uchiha quarters. Come in, come in. I’ll escort you to my private rooms where the twins and father are waiting.”

With an arm around Tobirama’s waist, Hashirama followed Madara, one eye on the other Uchiha that stood still frozen in place. He only relaxed when the door to Madara’s room closed behind him.

“Izuya, Misaki, otousan, you already met Hashirama in person. Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce you officially to his brother and heir Senju Tobirama. Tobirama, meet my youngest siblings, Uchiha Izuya and Misaki, and my father Uchiha Tajima.” Tobirama gave Tajima a polite bow, who answered it in kind. Then he turned to the twins with a slight smile.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is ours, Tobirama-sama. It’s great to meet the person who saved us, though we sometimes still try to come to terms with the fact that you were just a child as we have been. As far we understood you are seventeen?”

“Eighteen. I turned eighteen in February.”

“Oh? Izuna also had his birthday in February. The 10^th to be precise. He turned twenty.”

“Oh, and we are older than you. We turned eighteen at the end of November.”

“Twenty? Izuna is truly two years older than me?” Tobirama asked with a scrunch around his nose, not believing that his rival was indeed two years older than him. The twins and even Tajima chuckled, though Madara only pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Believe me. I can’t believe it myself. And to think that I’m turned just twenty-one in December makes it somehow more unreal.”

“Huh. I turned just twenty in October. I had thought Izuna is younger than Tobirama.” Hashirama put in and everyone stared in utter astonishment of what age actually everyone was at. “Wait how old is Hikaku-san again?”

“Hikaku is still nineteen. He will turn twenty in Mai. He has two older sisters, Sango, who is the oldest among the siblings, is twenty-five. Their sister, Kyoko, died during childbirth when she was twenty. She has been the mother of Kagami.”

Tobirama stiffened. Of course, he knew Kagami was Hikaku’s nephew and thereby Madara’s cousin. Still, he was still unsure of how they thought about Kagami imprinting on Tobirama instead of one of them after his father died.

“Don’t worry Tobirama-sama. Kagami is fine. Sango-san is barely leaving him since he managed to sneak out. And we other check regularly on his whereabouts. We wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened.”

“I’m sorry. He left because of me. I…”

“It’s not your fault. You weren’t the one neglecting their duty in having an eye on our youngest family member. We all underestimated how stubborn and determined Kagami can be.” Madara cut in. “I underestimated him. I thought he was too young to think of sneaking out on his own, but I was clearly wrong. This is my fault as pack alpha.”

“And it’s no excuse for anyone of us either. We all missed checking on Kagami. And that for several hours.”, Tajima added, “And I’d like to give my gratitude to you as well, as well as my sincere regret of letting myself influenced to allow child hunter squads being built.”

“What’s done is done.”, Tobirama shrugged, causing Tajima to look down with a flinch and with shame. “However, I can’t truly blame you either, not completely. It was our own father who send an assassin to your home, it was our father who ordered and merciless killed your clan members. What I can’t truly forgive is the torture my youngest brother had to endure before his chakra finally flickered out.”

“I never ordered my squads to play with their victims.”

“Well, those child hunters hunted my brother down with glee. Five adults against one ten-year-old boy loved to hunt like an animal, inflicting mild damage, falling back slightly to give hope just to crash it the next moment, and that for almost an hour until their prey couldn’t run from exhaustion. But instead of making a clean kill, no they decided to play with him a little longer, dragging it out by slicing through flesh deep enough to bleed but not too deep to immediately bleed out. It took an entirety of two hours until Itama took his last breath. Two hours for me to reach him, to witness how five adults stood around him laughing while my little baby brother died.”

Something dark entered Tobirama’s voice, “I had killed four of them, and I swear if I find the last one, I will gut him.”

“Shh, otouto, calm down.” Hashirama intervened, wrapping his arms around his aggravated brother with one hand pushing Tobirama’s head into his neck right where his scent gland was.

Neither spoke for several minutes. Tajima, Madara, and the twins looked anywhere but the two Senju brothers, not knowing what to do or say. Madara, though, was clearly holding himself in check to not let out a snarl. Not because of Tobirama’s open threat to kill an Uchiha, but because of what he described. Kami, he wanted to kill Yashiro himself so badly. Enemy or not, children shouldn’t suffer when being killed. It was bad enough to send them on missions or worse the battlefield, but they shouldn’t more suffer than needed.

“I…I make you a promise, Senju Tobirama. No matter if you become my mate or not, no matter if our clans sign a peace treaty or not, I’ll deliver the responsible Uchiha on a silver platter for you to do whatever you want with him. The only thing I can’t give you are his eyes, because I’ll remove them in beforehand, which will be my punishment for his treason.”

Tobirama jerked within Hashirama’s hold, who immediately loosened to allow his brother to look at Madara.

“Make no promises you will not hold. I’m very aware who the person is…”

“It doesn’t matter. There is no future for him, nor for his brother or his brother’s son in my clan. I’m very aware of the plot they are scheming. It’s the only reason why I haven’t banned them yet. Clan rules might not allow us to kill another clan member, but when they become a threat it’s another matter.”

“I…I don’t understand. You have rules that forbid to kill clan members, but at the same time allow it?” Tobirama frowned in confusion.

“If you say it like that it sounds stupid.”

“It is stupid. Who’s killing his clan members without being them a threat to the clan?” A little helpless Madara looked at his father, who just shrugged.

“It’s more like precaution so you can’t just kill a clan member who isn’t to your liking.”

“If you say so.” Still confused Tobirama decided to come to why they actually had come for. “Regardless. Your clan laws are not why we are here. Madara asked us to take a look at you, Tajima-san. Unfortunately, I won’t do an exam myself, because we don’t want to risk me getting whatever you have. Not that we think it’s truly contagious, but we also don’t know what it is that effects your chakra.”

“Makes sense, I guess. I wouldn’t want to risk my grandchild unnecessary.” Tajima smiled. Tobirama slightly widen his eyes as it was just now that he realized that his child would have at least one grandparent still alive.

“Oh my.” A sniff drew everyone’s attention to the Senju clan head. Hashirama looked as if he was close to crying.

“What?” Madara asked confused.

“Nothing. Nothing. It’s just…” Hashirama quickly dried his eyes with a sleeve, in vain. “…we will be one big family.”

“Anija…”

“But it’s true Tobi. If you and Madara mate then we will all be family. Your baby will have a grandfather, several uncles and aunts, and a sibling in Kagami. Isn’t it great?”

“It will have all of it even if I don’t marry Madara.”

“True, true, but still…”

Tobirama sighed. “Why don’t you examine Tajima-san. Better we make sure the only grandparent stays alive for the child to meet him.” Hashirama was quick to nod and kneeled next to Tajima, who stared at Tobirama in wonder and gratitude.

Hashirama concentrated and green chakra became visible. The examination took only five minutes before he withdrew his hands.

“Good and bad news. Your chakra illness hasn’t spread but neither are there any signs of it getting better.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“No thanks needed, Tajima-san. It’s not like I was of any help.”

“But you still agreed to help me. That earns a thanks, don’t you think?”

“Hm. Anyway, I wish I’d do more.”

“Explain what you felt exactly, Anija?” Hashirama did and also repeated his examination with Tobirama’s instructions on what to look for. He also tried to heal some of the damaged nerves, which only ended with Tajima groaning in pain for which the Senju apologized.

It took almost an entire hour before they stopped, Tobirama and the twins having made notes but still without an idea how to cure the older Uchiha.

“I have something in mind that might work, but I need to do some research first. If nobody objects the twins can accompany me.”

“To where?” Madara asked.

“To a glassmaker, doctor and the public library.”

“Glassmaker?”

“Yes. We visited one yesterday and I have the impression they might be able to answer some of my questions regarding how human eyes are working.”

“I see.” Madara said carefully and looked at the twins who stared at him with pleading eyes. “Okay, you can go, but not alone. I’ll send two of our…”

“No. I’ll accompany them. I won’t let Tobirama go out on his own.” Hashirama interrupted before Madara could finish.

“Eh. You’re aware that the next days we are busy with meetings? Don’t forget that we aren’t here for a vacation. It’s ok when our clan heirs don’t attend all the meetings, but as clan head we can avoid them. And I haven’t forgotten yet what happened in the courtroom the day we arrived.”

“I…”

“He’s right Anija. The Daimyo gave me the perfect excuse to not attend any of the meetings, except he calls me in person. Otherwise, I have to fear about any consequences if I offense him again.” Hashirama gritted his teeth at the explanation as did Madara.

“I don’t like it.”

“I know, but I’ll not stay locked in our quarters. And I won’t go out alone either. I can ask Yumiko or Hanata to accompany me and the twins as well while you can take an elder to the meetings.”

“I can also send Hikaku. He’s after me, Izuna and his older sister the strongest of my clan. He’s more than able to protect our siblings.”

“Okay.” Hashirama replied slowly. “I still don’t like it, but…”, he took a deep breath, “…I can’t force you to stay in bed. However, you will take Yumiko and Hanata with you. No discussion.”

“Fine.”

They talked a little longer and Tobirama explained what research he wanted to do. Later they said their goodbyes for the day with Uchiha again staring at Tobirama on their way out. And this time elder Hjouske was among them, so that Madara could take in in pleasure how the elder’s face turned from red to ghostly pale. There was fear in the man’s eyes and Madara couldn’t hide the grin when Hjouske’s eyes met his.

Chapter Text

Madara was bored. Three days ago, was the official start of the Daimyo’s court, which meant everyone was attending. The first few days were only the formal greeting and declaration of their allegiance to the Daimyo of the different parties, which included Civilian Lords, military leaders like Generals, Officials, and of course the heads of the Shinobi clans.

It was the reason why neither Shinobi clan was called to court for two days after arrival. The day before and after the Shinobi clans first meeting with the Daimyo, had been reserved for the other parties to arrive and to greet the Daimyo. Then there was one more day for everyone to settle down before the official court was starting the day after.

And now, it had been already three days of listening to Civilian Lords and their whining about how bad the winter had been, and people demanding an increase in salary from them. Which if you asked Madara was just fair. It wasn’t much of a secret that quite often people worked just to be robbed of their rightful income because of an increase in taxes, or because clients thinking there was no need to adhere to the contract. The latter Madara knew just too well about, because it was him after all who wrote and reminded them what happens if they don’t pay.

Now the Lords wanted even more money because of the damage the winter caused. An utter lie, because most damage that is mentioned had been already there for years and all money send to repair it vanished in the pockets of those promising to take care of it.

Madara knew of a dam not far from the Senju/Uchiha border that needed repairs urgently. His own people already have taken a look at it and estimated it wouldn’t hold much longer than maybe a year or two. Unfortunately, the Lord who is responsible for it saw no need to do anything. And Madara himself had no money to pay for anyone or anything to repair it. He just hoped the new Daimyo can be convinced to take care of it. So, somehow he doubted it.

But besides that, it was mostly a bickering match between different Lords. Madara envied all who didn’t need to attend. The courtroom was full of sweating and arrogant peacocks. If it wasn’t for the rule to use scent blockers, then Madara was sure the court would end in a bloodbath within seconds. He had no idea how everyone survived the court before scent blockers existed. 

Madara’s thoughts went to the twins and Tobirama. The past three days they went together with Hikaku into the city and visited different doctors, including one who was an expert in bonds. It wasn’t something they planned, but Tobirama saw a label with a doctor’s name on it and their profession and got curious.

The twins also curious just followed and together they made an appointment for today. Madara wondered if they might learn something new. He was certain their clan knew already everything about bonds, but who knew.

The rest of the time they either spent time in the public library or visited a few shops for baby supplies. A thought that brought a smile on Madara’s face. He still couldn’t fathom that he would soon be a father. And he couldn’t stop picturing Tobirama holding a newborn with white hair and black eyes or maybe black hair and red eyes, though he liked the former image more. He wouldn’t even be disappointed when the little one took completely after Tobirama. After all, he was a beautiful omega. Silky white hair, he often wondered how it would feel in his hand. Skin that looked like purest snow covered by red markings, and red eyes so different from the alpha red and Sharingan red, but oh so similar to the red of their goddess Amaterasu, that Madara couldn’t stop wondering if his father’s story was true.

After all, Tobirama might be an albino, but from what Madara knew about them, he was not a typical one. No other albino has red markings or red eyes, not like Tobirama. Though he wondered if Tobirama had the red markings since birth or if they might have something to do with hiding his appearance under a henge not even the Sharingan could detect. He always assumed the markings were seals, maybe to storage chakra, because it seemed to make most sense, but now he wasn’t so sure anymore. He truly wanted to know, but asking felt somehow improper. Maybe something the twins could find out for him. They have more or less already adopted Tobirama as their younger brother.

His mind went back to their child, wondering if it might inhibit the markings in case Tobirama was born with them. Maybe it will have two stripes on each cheek instead of one, or maybe they’re identical to those of their mother? A little mini Tobirama with Madara’s black eyes, perhaps?

Hm. Will it be a girl or a boy? Madara wasn’t sure which he preferred. He just hoped they would be born healthy. Kami, he couldn’t wait to hold the little one.

“Madara.” Madara startled out of his thoughts and looked up at his father, who felt fine enough to accompany Madara to the meetings instead of Hikaku, and who was now standing in front of him instead sitting slightly behind him.

“Come Madara. The today’s session is over.”

“Really?” Madara looked left and right and indeed, half of the people had already left. “Oh.”

Tajima laughed, “Come now. You can continue dreaming back in our quarters. The twins should be back by now as well.”

“Right. Uh. Did I miss something important?” A little awkward Madara stood and rubbed his neck.

“Depends. At which point you stopped listening?” Madara bristled at the sheepish tone and followed his father with a protest on his lips. Though he stopped short when he saw the Hatake speaking with Hashirama, who seemed confused and nervous.

“Madara?”

“Ah, sorry. I forgot something. Why don't you go ahead? I'll be right there.” Madara didn’t wait for an answer and made a direct beeline to where Hashirama and the Hatake stood.

“Ma…” Tajima started, but sighed instead, knowing his son would ignore him. “This youth of today.” He looked in the direction his son was heading and could only shake his head when he found the source. “His obsession with the Senju is so obvious, some might wonder how he managed to fight them for so long.” Tajima muttered, though he knew very well the reason why Madara resisted the urge to accept Hashirama’s peace offers. Even if the belief was because the majority of Uchiha was against it, Tajima knew it was mostly because of Izuna and his hate towards the Senju, especially his rival Tobirama.

Izuna, who has no idea that his rival was carrying his nephew or niece. Tajima dreaded his reaction.

With another sighed he left the courtroom.

----

“Senju-sama. Might I have a word with you?” Hashirama was just ready to leave when he turned to the sudden voice.

“Hatake-Sama? Wh…I mean, of course. How can I help you?”

“Where is your heir, Senju-sama? We have noticed his absence and wondered if he’s well?”

“Uh, eh. Tobirama is fine. We, eh, he didn’t want to risk upsetting the new Daimyo. You know, because of his, eh, eyes?”

“I see. It’s truly unfortunate that our new Daimyo seems, how should I say, seems to be short-minded. After all, we cannot choose how we are born, right.”

“Ehm, yeah.”

“However, your heir’s new appearance was indeed a surprise to all of us.”

Hashirama laughed nervously with a hand on his neck, “Yeah. I can imagine.”

“Might we ask for the reason?” Hashirama froze and stared at the Hatake clan head in confusion.

“Why?” He carefully asked, though his voice took on a more serious tone.

“Call it curiosity. We understand that a henge is used to hide your identity during missions. But we are confused why the heir of the Senju clan saw the need to hide his appearance when attending the court the years before. Surely it wasn’t just because of his eyes, or because he’s an albino? Or might it be because he’s an omega?”

Hashirama didn’t know what to say. The Hatake clan wasn’t an enemy, but neither were their friends. And they never showed any interest in the Senju clan. So why now? Wait a second.

“Are you interested in my brother because he’s in omega? I will tell you now that I won’t accept any mating proposals. My brother…”

“Hey, Hashirama. Here you are. Greetings Hatake-sama.” Hashirama startled when out of nowhere Madara suddenly appeared next to him.

“Uchiha-sama.” The Hatake clan head greeted back with a nod, though she was slightly displeased about the interruption.

“Sorry for the interruption. Hashirama and I are expected by our siblings.”

“Are we?”

“Yes, don’t say you forgot. They probably already waiting for us.”

“Oh, uhm. In that case we should go. I’m sorry Hatake-sama. Maybe we can speak another time?”

“If it isn’t inconvenient then I’d like to ask for a meeting tomorrow. Preferable with your brother present.”

“Tobi? Why?” Hashirama asked in suspicion, his shoulders tense.

“Please stay calm. We don’t mean any harm. We only have a few questions that regard both you and your brother.” The Hatake clan head, Hatake Suiko, titled her head before she continued, “Would be a time after breakfast okay for you?”

“I must ask my brother. I’m not sure if he made any arrangement.”

“Please send us a short notice of a time and place. We will meet you there then.” With a bow Hatake Suiko and her heir said goodbye, giving Hashirama no chance to reject their request of a meeting right away.

Hashirama and Madara watched them leave before Madara asked, “What was it?”

“I have no idea. I never have been in contact with the Hatake, except of the short greetings during the Daimyo’s court.” Hashirama then turned to Madara, “Did I miss something? I can’t remember we are meeting our siblings. I’m not sure if they are even back yet.”

“Of course not. I lied.”

“What? Why?”

“Don’t know. You looked uncomfortable and tense. I thought a rescue was in order.” Madara shrugged. Hashirama observed his friend for a few seconds before he laughed.

“And who do you think needed the rescue exactly?”

“Stop laughing, goofball. People are watching.”

“Oy, who are you calling goofball.”

“You, of course. Now come on. I’m hungry. Might as well pick up our siblings and go to a restaurant. If they haven’t returned yet then they probably still are in the library.”

“Wait, Madara. Hey.” Hashirama called and followed his friend at a fast pace.

----

Tobirama and Hashirama sat in a small restaurant where they decided to have breakfast and meet the Hatake. Tobirama had been surprised about the sudden request for a meeting as much as his brother had been but was also curious enough to agree to it.

The Hatake arrived soon after they finished breakfast and both Hashirama and Tobirama stood to greet them properly.

“Hatake-sama.”

“Senju-sama. Thank you for accepting our request for a meeting. Tobirama-san.” Hatake Suiko returned the greeting, her gaze moving from Hashirama over to Tobirama, whom she stared at for a moment before sitting down across from them with her son and heir, Hatake Sakuto, next to her.

“You might wonder why the sudden interest of meeting you. So, let us come directly to the point. What was the name of your mother, Senju Hashirama?”

“Huh?”

“The name of your mother.”

“Uhm, I…her name was Reiko? Senju Reiko, formerly Hatake Reiko.” Unsure Hashirama glanced over at his brother, who frowned.

“Why are you asking after our mother?” Tobirama asked then.

“I’m asking, because twenty-one years ago my younger sister, Hatake Reiko, vanished during a solo mission. We searched for her, but all we found was her bloodied and tattered fur coat.”

“Wait, what? What do you mean she vanished?” Hashirama asked shocked.

“I mean like I said, she vanished. We searched, but except for the bloody coat we didn’t find anything. After a year of searching, we declared her dead and buried the coat.”

“But, but. How did you never find out she married our father. I thought, I thought your clan agreed?”

“How so? First of all, we had no contact with your clan besides meeting at the Daimyo’s court. Secondly, your mother never ventured through Senju land, otherwise she would have reported it, and she would have said that she met her mate. Third, if we had agreed to a marriage then our clans would live in an alliance. You would know me as your aunt, and my son as your cousin. You would have lived with us for a year to learn about our customs.”

The Hatake clan leaned forward, her face taking on a thunderous expression. “We Hatake take family seriously. Had we received knowledge of my sister being mated to Senju Butsuma, we would have persisted in meeting her, we would have even gone to war to free her in case she was a prisoner. And I’m very much convinced she was just that. A prisoner. Because otherwise, my sister would have written to me and informed us of her whereabouts as soon as she was able to.”

“I, I…we had no idea. I mean, yes, we know she was Hatake, but I…we have been told she left the Hatake because she met her mate, Butsuma. We have been told the Hatake were not interested in agreeing to an alliance, because you didn’t want to be involved in any clan fights. We…kami, you weren’t even informed that she died five years ago, right?”

“No. We only heard that Butsuma’s mate had died in childbirth.”

“I…”

“How long did you suspect your sister might be our mother?” Tobirama cut in. He had no intention of speaking of his mother’s death. She barely knew him, because of Butsuma keeping him away from her. And he himself couldn’t even remember her face.

“Not long. To be precise it was the moment you walked into the courtroom without your henge, or whatever you used to disguise yourself. You look exactly like my little sister, Hatake Reiko. Except for the eyes, red markings and your slightly paler features, you’re the perfect image of her.” Tobirama widened his eyes. He knew he didn’t resemble Butsuma in the slightest, not like Hashirama, who hated when people mentioned his similarity to Butsuma, and he heard a few times people saying he had his mother’s mouth and nose but never had anyone said he was a perfect image of her.

“Sakuto. Give me the picture.” The young Hatake heir pulled out a scroll and gave it to his mother. She unrolled the parchment and shoved it over to the two Senju, who leaned forward curiously.

“That…That’s our mother?” Hashirama asked in a whisper.

“Yes.”

“She truly looks like you Tobi.”

“How old was she when the picture was taken?” Tobirama asked taking in the painting of his mother. She looked different from what he remembered. Younger, less fragile, and much, much happier. She wore a huge smile around her face, while she had one arm around her older sister’s shoulder. Her silvery grey hair reached down almost to her hips. She wore a grey blue coat with fur on the edges that half covered black pants and was held together by a white obi.

“The picture was made when she was sixteen, half a year before she vanished.” Both Hashirama and Tobirama reared up and looked at Suiko in shock.

“Sixteen? You mean, you mean she was sixteen when Butsuma. Oh no, don’t tell me, he, he…” Hashirama shook his head in desperation. There was a horrified realization he didn’t want to be true. He grabbed his baby brother, and pulled him into his lap, burying his nose into soft white hair.

Tobirama wasn’t better. He didn’t protest Hashirama’s ministration and just let himself be pulled into a tight embrace. He always thought their parents loved each other in a way, or that they at least did before Tobirama was born, but now? Now it seems Butsuma stole Hatake Reiko while she was on a mission and used her as his…his, Tobirama didn’t want even to think about it. His entire world was shattering around him.

Hatake Suiko and her son watched the two brothers in worry and sadness. It must be hard to hear the truth about a parent, you always thought loved his mate and…they both flinched at the sudden change in the air and almost jumped out of their seats and back into a corner.

Though the angry alpha scent was almost immediately covered by a soothing and sweat omega scent, which stopped them from moving.

“Anija. It’s alright Anija. He’s dead. He can’t hurt anyone.” Tobirama ignored his own distress for a moment in the attempt of stopping Hashirama going in alpha rage. They couldn’t risk making a scene.

“I want to kill him again. How could he.” Hashirama whispered after taking deep breaths, though it was loud enough for the Hatake to hear him.

“Pardon. But did you just say you killed Butsuma?”

“I did. It’s a long story. But to make it short. Butsuma hated Tobirama from the moment he was born. He never was a very loving father, not even when it was just me, but still he seemed to care about mother. However, after Tobirama, he turned very icy to her. When Tobirama was a year old, he took him from mother and kept him away from her. Mother was heartbroken, but there was nothing she could do, because she was already pregnant with Kawarama. And soon after with Itama. The last pregnancy was almost too much for her, but she held on. That was until first Kawarama then Itama died. At this point she was much too broken to continue, because she had been denied all the time to see Tobirama. It was killing her in the end, and she took our youngest unborn sibling with her. Two years later, I killed Butsuma before he was able to kill Tobirama. That man was a monster. But we never knew about him kidnapping our mother.”

Hashirama didn’t want to say anything more. They all could guess what Butsuma did to Hatake Reiko. They didn’t need to say it loud. Not to forget that it reminded a little too much of what happened to Tobirama, even if it wasn’t done with the same intent.

Hashirama was tired. He wanted to take his brother and return to their quarters, better yet to return home where they could snuggle in Tobirama’s nest and forget about everything for a while.

“I…I think we should retire to our quarters. I need to process what has just been said. However, Hashirama, Tobirama, I’d like to get to know you. You’re my nephews and everything that’s left of my sister.”

It was Tobirama who answered this time, moving his head so he could look at his aunt, “We have a few days left before we return home. So, maybe we can arrange something while we’re still here. Otherwise, we could also invite you into the Senju compound, though we’ll probably be occupied for a while with some other stuff.”

“It’d be a pleasure to come for a visit. Being a clan head myself, I also know how busy you probably are. I have my own duties that will keep me from visiting soon. However, maybe we can make time after your little one is born. I’d like to meet my grandniece or nephew.” Suiko smiled and looked at Tobirama’s half hidden belly for a second.

“We’ll excuse us now. I hope we can see us soon, maybe for a cup of tea during one of the brakes during sessions or maybe after the last session is over.”

“We’ll let you know at which time we can meet.” The two Hatake bowed and left the restaurant, leaving enough money to pay for the breakfast Tobirama and Hashirama had before the two Hatake arrived.

“Anija?”

“Just five more minutes, please.”

“Okay, take your time. It’s not like we have to go anywhere today.” Tobirama petted Hashirama’s head, who in turn slightly tightened the embrace.

Both were unaware of the shadow that had watched them from across the building.

Chapter Text

Tobirama met the twins at their usual spot before heading out into the city. Normally, he’d hate not sitting in the courtroom, not knowing what was going on all around Hino no Kuni, however, he had to admit it was nice to forget about the political discussions for once. Hashirama and elder Yumiko updated him of what was spoken, of course, but most of it was just the usual squabble between civilian Lords and their demands of getting more money, nothing new.

The new Daimyo also seemed to have forgotten Tobirama existed at all, because he hadn’t asked once where the albino was. Which Tobirama welcomed very much. The old Daimyo was a reasonable man, and deserved all the respect someone could give him, but the new one gave Tobirama the creeps. Maybe it was because he behaved like a spoiled brat, maybe it was how he had looked at Tobirama, maybe it was because he was so much different to his father, the former Daimyo, that Tobirama wondered if they were even related.

No matter what it was, Tobirama was glad not to be forced to attend the meetings, even if he was the heir of the Senju clan. It gave him so much time for research, so much time to search out some experts in a few matters regarding certain health issues or how some systems of the city infrastructure worked, like water plumbing.

The twins had been confused at first when Tobirama brought back a book regarding architecture but accepted his excuse of just being curious. It was only days later that they thought there was more to it when Tobirama excused himself to meet different craftsmen, though they didn’t push for any answers. Tobirama was still a Senju, even if he was carrying Madara’s child, and their clans hadn’t signed any peace treaty yet. Therefore, it’d be rude or could be seen as an attempt at spying when they asked too many questions.

At those times, the twins sat down in a nearby shop, discussing what they learned from books or their meetings with other healers, including their visit with a bond expert, who surprisingly enough had a theory why some children refused to bond with relatives after losing their parents.

To this day, everyone in the Uchiha clan had no clue why Kagami hadn’t bond with Sango or Hikaku, who have been the closest to him. The healer explained that in case of a beta (Hikaku) it was very unlikely a bond would happen. Not necessarily because it’s completely impossible, but because they have smaller scent glands like alphas and omegas and therefore produce less pheromones. Therefore, it’s harder to convince a scared or traumatized child to bond with them.

This, however, didn’t explain why a child refuses to bond with a related alpha (Sango), or omega (Misaki). They all had been confused when the doctor asked if the child had both parents and if one died before they have been born. When Misaki told that Kagami’s mother died right after giving birth to him, the doctor didn’t look surprised at all, which confused them even more.

“I had a few worried alphas and omegas with the same issue. They lost family members and intended to take in the orphaned child, but the children were, for whatever reason, incapable of bonding with two people. What they all shared was the fact that the child only had one parental bond in existence before, mostly that of the father/alpha because the mother/omega died during childbirth. Because of it, my theory is, that this missing bond of the second parent influences the child’s bonding ability with more than one new parent.”

“May I ask with whom the children bonded?” Tobirama had asked.

“Normally with the person having the same second gender their had shared a parental bond already, meaning if they shared a parental bond with their biological alpha father then they formed a bond with their new alpha parent. Same if it had been an omega or beta.”

“If they only form bonds with those with the same second gender as their biological parent they grew up with then why our little cousin was able to form a bond with an omega stranger he never has seen before in the matter of a few hours after his alpha father had been killed?” Izuya had asked confused.

“Oh? May I ask about the circumstances?”

“I saved the child from bloodline thieves. I hadn’t known he imprinted on me while I was holding him and escorting other children back to their homes. He was a little reluctant when I wanted to give him back to his caregiver, but didn’t fall into despair when our ways parted, or so I think he didn’t. I’m not exactly sure what happened after my clone disintegrated.” Tobirama had replied.

“Clone?”

“Doesn’t matter.” He had waved off quickly. “What I truly want to know is why he didn’t form a proper parental bond with one of his relatives, even if he formed one with me. I’m an omega, so he’d have been at least capable to form a bond with another alpha, or beta.”

“Well, there isn’t more than what I already told you. For why he created a bond with you at all, was probably because of the circumstances themselves. You saved him, that fact could have been enough for his instincts to deem you worthy as a substantial parent.”

“I see. Thank you.”

They talked a little more about the different types of bonds, but there wasn’t anything more to learn from the expert, so they thanked them and left for their next destination.

Since his meeting with the Hatake three more days passed and the twins were observant enough to notice something must have happened. Tobirama hadn’t told them what, neither had Hashirama mentioned anything to Madara, who more than once asked if his fellow clan head was alright. But except for a pitiful look Hashirama kept quiet.

Today was also the last day in the court and the turn of the Shinobi clans to report the events that happened in the past year. There will be one more event in the next two days. A huge banquet where Lords will present their omega children meant to be married off. Not an event Shinobi clans liked to attend because neither clan had any intention of sending away any of their omegas or anyone else. However, arranged marriages were not uncommon among the non-chakra users.

In addition, the banquet signals the official end of the Daimyo’s court for the year, gives everyone a last chance to speak their mind in a less strict manner, and gives the opportunity to strengthen the bonds between already formed alliances. No one would ever openly show interest in a possible future alliance because of the fear someone will try to prevent it.

Tobirama hoped to escape that event as well, but he had a feeling he might not be as lucky as the past week. Maybe he can excuse himself from it by stating he wasn’t feeling well. But this might cause the Daimyo to want to send one of his own healers to check on Tobirama. Not a good idea at all.

“Good morning Tobi-san. Why make such a face? Did something happen?” Tobirama focused back into reality at hearing Misaki.

“Good morning, Misaki-san, Izuya-san. It’s nothing. Just thought about the banquet.”

“Ah. Madara-nii hates it. There are always those nobles that try to shove their daughters into his face.” Izuya said with a crinkled nose.

“Maybe this year he won’t have the problem. Not if everyone knows he’s courting Tobirama, who already carries his child.” Misaki stated.

“My brother and I haven’t agreed to a courtship yet. Madara is still free to court someone else.”

“Really, Tobirama. Our brother will never look for someone else. He’s already in love with you.” Izuya snorted and clapped his hand over his mouth when he realized what he said. “Ah, sorry. Forget what I said.” Tobirama raised an eyebrow before shaking his head.

“Let’s go.”

----

“Hey Misaki. Isn’t that elder Hjouske?”

“Huh? Where?”

“There. Oh, wait he had disappeared into a side street.”

“Oy, wait.” Misaki called, but Izuya had already disappeared into the crowd. She turned for Tobirama, who stood in line at one of the food stalls. She was quick to make his way over to him.

“Tobirama-san. Eh, Izuya just run off to follow one of our elders. Uhm, can you wait here until we are back?” Tobirama looked over Misaki’s head in search for Izuya and saw him disappear in a side street. He also saw Hikaku disappearing into the same street a second later.

“Maybe we both wait here. Hikaku-san will have an eye on your brother.” Misaki nodded nervously, and both settled on a nearby bench. They waited for almost three hours, before Misaki jumped from her seat to run over where Izuya and Hikaku appeared among the crowd.

Tobirama followed at a slower pace, aware of Hikaku’s hard expression and clenched teeth. He was also nervously watching the crowd, which in turn made Tobirama nervous. Wouldn’t he be at risk using his chakra, he’d already have spread out his senses to locate any threats nearby.

As soon as he reached them, Tobirama asked, “What happened?”

“Not here. It’s better if we return. I need to speak with Madara as soon as possible.”

“Okay. I’m done for today anyway and the heat makes me uncomfortable.” Hikaku let his eyes run over Tobirama, looking somehow more worried than before.

“Have you eaten something? Drink?”

“I bought some chicken teriyaki over there. Don’t worry it wasn’t poisoned. It’s just my pregnancy hormones playing with my body temperature. I normally run very cold, but lately I’m warmer than usual. I’m not used to it, that’s all. And even it’s colder than most at the time being in the sun all day isn’t truly helping.”

“Then let’s return before you collapse. Madara will have my head if something happened, not to forget your brother. You should have said something earlier.” They started to head back to the palace, Tobirama being not unaware of halfway surrounded by Hikaku and the twins. His own Senju shadow seemed also have noticed and took the empty spot next to Tobirama.

“You worry too much.” Tobirama stated.

“You worry not enough.”

“If I add any more worry I won’t leave my bed, Hikaku.” Hikaku looked over at Tobirama, who seemed to walk straighter than before. He also remembered that Tobirama couldn’t use his chakra, so, yes, actually if he thinks about it, it must be hell for not being able to use his chakra while being so vulnerable. And something else dawned in Hikaku’s mind. Tobirama trusted him, he trusted him to keep him safe, an Uchiha. He trusted him that entire week to have his back.

Hikaku stopped in his tracks that also caused the others to stop. A little shocked Tobirama, the twins, and the Senju shadow watched how Hikaku gave Tobirama a respectful bow before he straightened his back again and resumed walking in direction of the palace.

The others watched before following him.

----

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Izuya and I followed him to one of the less respectable locals. A gambler house closer to the edge of the city.”

“Have you seen who he was meeting?”

“We saw several hooded figures. I’m not 100 percent sure, but one looked similar to the Senju elder who we have seen talking to Hashirama-sama a few days ago. They also seemed to have an argument.”

“Homura.” Hashirama gritted. Madara cast a quick glance at his friend before he asked another question.

“The others?”

“I haven’t seen their faces, so I can’t say if they are from another clan, but I’m sure they belong to an organization, though which one I can’t tell.”

“So, either bloodline thieves, assassins or slavers.” Hikaku nodded.

“Yes.”

“They’re planning something.” Madara turned his gaze back to Hashirama before it landed on Tobirama. “Most likely another attempt to either kill or kidnap you. It’s probably good that the Daimyo asked for your presence during the banquet.” Hashirama snapped up his head, but before he could ask, Madara added, “He wasn’t subtle. I heard him when he told you he wanted Tobirama at the banquet.”

“Well, it was more spoken like an order. I swear if he plans something to hurt my brother, I will…”

“Don’t say it. You know very well that even a misspoken threat against the Daimyo can get you executed. We wouldn’t want that, right.” Madara interrupted.

“And what do you think I should do then? What if he orders me to leave Tobirama in the capital city for whatever reason.”

“You go a little over your head, Anija. I don’t think he’s that interested in me. He might be an idiot, but even as an idiot he won’t risk turning all the Shinobi clans against him.”

“I agree with Tobirama. The Daimyo won’t order you to leave your brother behind. But I can imagine him trying to push someone in your direction to agree to a courtship or mate agreement. After all, you haven’t agreed to my request to court Tobirama.”

“That can be changed.” Hashirama snapped his head at his brother.

“Otouto.”

“I had a lot of time to think about it, Anija. A courtship doesn’t mean I have to mate him anytime soon. And it’ll at least stop others bothering you to agree to one. Furthermore, Madara isn’t bad looking. He’s strong and more important, he isn’t a total dumbass.” Madara turned bright red but refrained from saying anything.

Hashirama looked forth and back between them before he sighed, “Well, if that’s what you want, then I will agree. But you…”, he pointed a finger at Madara, “…you better take it seriously. You better not hurt my brother or try anything improper. If he ends the courtship for whatever reason you better accept without any complains.”

“And if I want to end the courtship?”

“You better only do that because you want to turn it into a mating, otherwise you lose your head. You’re the one who asked for it, so you better be sure you want to go through with it.”

“Anija.”

“No, Otouto. I won’t watch how your heart gets broken because Madara might have a bad day or thinks you aren’t good enough for him.”

“But that’s exactly what a courtship is for. To see if we are compatible enough for a mating. I won’t force him to continue a courtship and turn it into a mating if he doesn’t want it. I kill rather myself then to live in a toxic relationship. I won’t end like my mother.” Tobirama snapped.

Hashirama was just ready to say something before Tobirama mentioned their mother. He closed his mouth and eyes and took a deep breath.

“Okay. Okay. You’re right.” Hashirama opened his eyes and with a low bow apologized, “I’m sorry, Madara.”

Madara was a little shocked by the sudden change, though it shouldn’t be a surprise, but he was still a little overwhelmed by what Tobirama had said earlier.

“Uh. It’s fine. There is no need to apologize, Hashirama. As an older brother I can understand your worry. But I swear I have no intention to hurt your brother.” Madara turned to Tobirama, who locked eyes with him for the first time.

It was like he was sucked into a completely new world. Everything around him disappeared, except for Tobirama, who didn’t stop staring at him. Madara’s vision turned sharper than ever before, and he thought to see a translucent woman standing behind Tobirama with her two arms settled around his shoulder.

She stared at Madara, and mouthed something Madara couldn’t quite translate. And then everything turned dark.

----

“Eh, what happened?” Madara asked later, being back in his quarters and lying on his bed in his room he shared with his father and the twins.

“You lost consciousness.” Tajima replied.

“Huh? Why?”

“You. Your Sharingan. You activated your Sharingan while you spoke with Hashirama and Tobirama.”

“What? No, no. I’d have never…”

“But you did. Don’t worry, nothing happened. You more or less fainted the same second as you activated it.”

“I don’t understand. What happened?”

“Hikaku said, you and Tobirama locked eyes. As soon as it happened your Mangekyō Sharingan activated and took on a new pattern. When it settled you fainted.” Like a fish Madara opened and closed his mouth, not understanding what his father was saying.

“Madara. I think the story my mother told me, and which I told you some days ago, I…I think it’s true. Tobirama is Amaterasu’s blessed or well someone she sent just for you. He’s your life mate. There’s no doubt. Your eternal Mangekyō Sharingan is proof enough.”

Madara could only gape at his father. This was, this was, insane. Yes, they believed in Amaterasu, but he, he always thought she was some fictional figure. Something you believed in, but knew didn’t truly exist. His mind wandered to the woman he saw in his dream. She and Tobirama were so close, and they looked almost identical. She had white hair, red eyes, and markings around her face. She looked exactly like the statue standing in the Uchiha temple.

“Madara.”

“Otou-san, I think I saw her? No, I’m sure I saw her. She was standing behind Tobirama, her arms around his shoulders. She said something to me, but I don’t know what. Though, I think it was a warning? Or maybe she gave her blessing. I don’t know. Uh.”, Madara groaned due to his blooming headache, “… what about Hashirama, Tobirama? Did they…”

“They are fine. Of course they were spooked, because no one expected you to activate your Sharingan so suddenly, but they helped Hikaku bringing you back without anyone noticing.”

“Tobirama, did he… did he say something?”

“No, he was as much confused as anyone else. So, I don’t think he experienced something similar to you, and I think he’s still unaware of you being life mates.”

“How can he not know?”

“With what we heard so far about his life? How would he know? He suppressed his omega instincts for so long, thanks to Butsuma, that I’m even surprised he still has any. I’m not sure if he would recognize his life mate standing in front of him even if his life depended on it.”

“Huh.”

“Rest, Madara. The transformation of your Sharingan took a lot out of you. We can speak further tomorrow. The banquet won’t start until evening, so there is plenty of time to think about what you want to use as an explanation.”

“I don’t have a slightest idea where to even begin.”

“Tell him the truth. Both of them. Especially if you want Hashirama to make your courtship with Tobirama official. He said he won’t accept it until he has an explanation of what happened. You swore to not hurt his brother just a second before you suddenly activated your Sharingan when looking at him. And Senju aren’t reacting very well with an active Sharingan pointed at them, especially not your mate to be. Tobirama was close to slit your throat.”

“Shit. Shall I explain all of it?”

“If it’s necessary?” Tajima shrugged. “Don’t know how much they will believe you, but you should at least consider telling them that Tobirama is your life mate, and that’s the reason why your Sharingan activated when locking eyes with him for the first time. It’ll at least be more believable than telling them Tobirama might be the son of a goddess.”

“Eh, yeah, no way they will believe it.”

“Do you?”

“I’m very close to.”

“Then you better not disappoint her.” Tajima clapped Madara’s shoulder with a grin before standing up. “I’ll inform the others that you’re awake.” Tajima laughed when his only response was a groan. The twins surely will become even more annoying than they already have been.

Chapter Text

The hall was full of people. But worst was the smell. Tobirama wanted to leave the moment he stepped inside. They have been informed that all non-mated participants are “encouraged” to attend without scent blockers on. The goal: people might find a possible match faster when they are able to smell the person of interest. And it could lead different parties to come together.

In Tobirama’s opinion a very stupid idea, because it also invited people to do stupid things. Like the alpha female that approached Tobirama after an hour into the event with a wide grin and released pheromones meant to draw an omega’s attention to her.

Unfortunately for her, or more so for Tobirama, her scent did nothing but trigger his gag reflexes. And he was glad that his brother, who dismissed already several interested and annoying omegas, was quick enough to step between them and to spread his own scent in a clear warning for her to come any closer. 

Amazingly enough, the female alpha only faltered for a split second before she continued her way over to them. She did, however, make the mistake of increasing the number of produced pheromones around her. It caused several heads to turn to her, and some omegas even started to move in her direction.

It was only when another warning scent joined that of Hashirama’s that she finally stopped in her approach. Tobirama immediately recognized the scent of Madara, a scent of fresh leather with a mix of burned cedar wood. It reminded Tobirama of home, the smell that spread through the house whenever a fire is lit to keep the interior warm. It was truly a nice smell. Not so for others as it seemed, because the crowd was clearing the near perimeter around the one omega and two alphas.

Not that Tobirama noticed. Before he even knew what he did, Tobirama pushed his nose into Madara’s neck and inhaled deeply. His nausea immediately vanished, and all the other smells in the room vanished under the thick smell of Madara.

“Tobi? Tobirama?”

“Hm?”

“Don’t move, Madara.” There had been a slight shift, but it stopped at the command. The next, Tobirama felt two arms around his torso, carefully separating him from the warm body and lovely scent. He couldn’t stop the pitiful whine leaving his throat, but it vanished when his nose was pressed into another much familiar neck and scent gland.

“Shh, shh. It’s alright, Otouto. You’re safe.”

“Hmpf.”

“Is he okay?” He heard Madara asking.

“Yeah, just give him some minutes. I think his senses are overstimulated by all those pheromones. And that alpha female had some nerve to approach an un-mated omega, no less pregnant one, in such manner. Normally, Tobirama wouldn’t be triggered by such bolt approach, but his pregnancy is influencing his reactions. I’m glad nobody did that in the past days where he was outside.”

“Yeah. Uhm. Hashirama. I hoped we could speak before the banquet, but it took me a while longer to recover from, eh, you know, the unexpected activation of my Dōjutsu.” Madara whispered the last part, not wanting anyone to overhear him. “Could we, eh, may it be okay if we search for a quiet place? I want to explain it, preferably before, uhm, before we make the final decision about the courtship.” Tobirama frowned and managed to separate his nose from Hashirama’s neck, joining his brother in staring at Madara, who averted his eyes at the similar stares directed at him.

“We could go to the garden. It’s the perfect excuse anyway, because some fresh air will be good for Tobirama.”

“Fine by me. I can use my sensor abilities to check out a place best suited for the discussion.”

“So, you’re indeed a sensor?” Tobirama cut in, now more aware than a minute ago.

“Yes, though not a natural born one like you. But I’m good enough to feel out the entire palace if I want.”

“I see. Very impressive.”

“Thanks. Uh. Shall we?”

“Lead the way.”

----

“Are we alone?” Madara pressed two fingers into the ground and made a last check.

“Yes. The closest guard is far away enough to not hear us. And I can’t feel any other living beings, including summons.”

“Okay. What happened yesterday? I mean we saw you activating your Sharingan and how it was spinning. But then you fell unconscious and Hikaku refused to explain, or more like he didn’t know either what happened.”

“Well. Uh. How to explain. You know the concepts of mates and that there are two different types of a mated pair, right?” Tobirama and Hashirama nodded an affirmation. “Right. So, uhm. For me reacting in such way means, well, it means Tobirama is my life mate.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Yeah. I mean there are different ways to recognize your life mate, but the most common is scent, of course. I already suspected Tobirama being my life mate after he sent the first blanket to us in regard to help Kagami.”

“Why haven’t you said something?”

“You know why, Hashirama. Our clans were at odds for a very long time, one got the better of Tobirama and almost killed him. You already knew Tobirama is pregnant with an Uchiha child. What do you think would have happened if I suddenly come in and say ‘Hey, Hashirama, you know what? Your brother is my life mate. I took a breath of his scent and what can I say, I’m in love. Please send him to me, because you know life mates shouldn’t be separated.’ Yeah, I don’t think it wouldn’t have ended very well.” Madara scoffed.

“Certainly not, no. So, what is the other way to recognize a life mate?”

“For an Uchiha, it’s their Sharingan.”

“Explain.”

“Well, it’s a secret, so don’t spread it…”

“…like it’s common knowledge. Got it.” Madara gave Hashirama a stinky look for being so rudely interrupted.

“It’s important, you twit, so take it seriously.”

“Of course.” Madara stared at Hashirama for another second, before he came back to topic.

“So, it’s rather simple. For an Uchiha with or without an already awakened Sharingan, meeting a life mate means the sure activation of the Sharingan. But not only a simple one with only one tomoe, but rather with two or even three tomoe inside without the need of going through a traumatic event. Which is most common to awaken our Dōjutsu or to develop it further.”

“I figured as much. I watched it happened a few times on battlefields.” Tobirama said.

“Yeah, it’s not very pleasant, because whatever we see with our Sharingan activated we remember it forever.” Tobirama inhaled sharply.

“You mean Kagami will forever remember how his father has been killed and whatever he has seen while he was held captive?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I hoped he would be spared, because he’s far too young to activate his Sharingan, but unlucky enough it happened. For now, I blocked the Sharingan from activating again. Otherwise, it could be dangerous for Kagami, because he has no chakra control yet to also control his Sharingan. We can be lucky, you have found him so fast, otherwise he might have died from chakra exhaustion.”

“He’s strong.” Tobirama exhaled.

“He’s indeed. Regardless, it’d be unwise teaching him to use his Sharingan. He needs to learn chakra control first.”

“I got this. I just meant he’s strong, because it must have been hours before I found him. If he had his Sharingan on the entire time, then he must already have a huge amount of chakra reserve.”

“Oh. Uhm. I…can’t truly tell. I’m just glad he’s alive and well. Though he misses his mother.” Madara gave Tobirama a pointed look, and then again returned to his explanation.

“Anyway, in my case, I already have the Mangekyō Sharingan. And I’m the first to have ever awakened it since our clan can remember. Therefore, it was very unknown what would happen when I meet my life mate and make direct eye contact with them. Father, Tajima, remembered a story his mother, my grandmother, told him when he was still little. It was the day after our meeting when we discussed what happened in the courtroom. I told them about our discovery and during the discussion father asked me suddenly if I had ever looked in your eyes.” Madara looked into Tobirama’s eyes who stared right back, though this time Madara’s eyes stayed black.

“I said, no, or more like I did, but you never truly looked back, not like you do now or as you did yesterday. Which is not unusual, since few dare to look an Uchiha in the eye. It unfortunately also lessens our chance to recognize a possible life mate when being outside of the compound, because of the scent blockers we or our counterparts are using.”

“Makes us equal then. I think for everyone else scent is the typical way to recognize a mate or life mate.” Tobirama shrugged. “So, what story did Tajima-sama tell you?”

“Ah. It’s…complicated. I don’t think there is anything more to it, but to shorten it, the story tells about an Uchiha who had the Mangekyō Sharingan. When he met his life mate and exchanged a look with them, his Mangekyō Sharingan activated and transformed into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. The highest and strongest known form our Dōjutsu can form into.”

“Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan? What can you do with that?” Tobirama asked curiously, the ever-loving urge to seek new knowledge now audible in his voice.

“The same things I already can do, just without the constant fear of going blind someday in the background of my mind.”

“But what can you actually do? I never saw you use any special jutsus when fighting against Hashirama.” Tobirama pushed the question, with crossing his arms in clear show of expecting an answer. Madara blushed. He wasn’t so sure of himself yet what he could do exactly, except for summoning a mere part of what will later be a gigantic humanoid avatar body. His movements were also more fluid while fighting that allowed him to dodge Hashirama’s Mokuton attacks easier, or that of other attacks from other Shinobis, for example the brothers from lighting country he fought a few months ago.

“Well, I’m still learning to fully control it. Susanoo, I hadn’t used it yet outside of the compound. I can only summon a part of the body…”

“Body?”

“Yeah. Susanoo is a technique that allows me to summon a gigantic humanoid avatar body. It’s a complete chakra product that forms around me when fully developed, and which I can use for defense and offense. However, I haven’t mastered it yet, so it’s more a rib cage that appears and moves around with me instead the other way around.”

“I want to see it.”

“Ahem.” Hashirama cleared his throat. “Don’t forget where we are, Otouto. I fear you need to wait for a little while before Madara can impress you with his jutsus.” Madara blinked rapidly when a pout appeared around Tobirama’s lips. It wasn’t the first time he saw him pouting, but honestly, Madara found it absolutely adorable and much too cute. And he liked to see this more childish side of his future spouse. On one side it reminded him that Tobirama was still a teenager, and on the other side that the omega wasn’t the cold-blooded and heartless demon everyone feared. Though he hoped to see the adorable pout even if Tobirama is old and, well he already has white hair, so old and wrinkly would be the correct wording properly.

Madara only returned his attention to the older Senju brother, when Hashirama a second time cleared his throat and spoke, “Okay. Thanks for the explanation, Madara. Though, I must ask. What changed? You could have said something when we discussed the possibility of a courtship the first time, or yesterday. Why now?”

“Several reasons. I didn’t want to say anything, because I didn’t want to bring any pressure into the courtship. Furthermore, I wasn’t 100% sure and Tobirama didn’t show any signs of recognizing me as his life mate. And now that I know, I don’t want other people to know, because it might put an even bigger target on his back. My father, the twins and Hikaku know about it, of course. I might inform Sango, Hikaku’s sister, because she’s already aware of the possibility. But there is no need to tell anyone else. Though it might not stay a secret for long.”

“What about Izuna?” Madara turned his gaze away from the brothers with a frown.

“I don’t truly know what to tell him. Since the ceasefire, Izuna has been…difficult. We are not truly on speaking terms, and if I’m honest with myself, I’m not sure if I can truly trust him. He’s giving you…” Madara returned his gaze to Tobirama, “…the fault for everything.”

“You told us as much. And it’s a little disturbing that he thinks so bad of me. I mean really? Does he truly think I hired those bloodline thieves to kidnap Kagami and the other children? That I got myself poisoned in hope an Uchiha would rape and impregnate me? That what? That I somehow manipulated you in sending us a ceasefire, while I was in a coma?” Tobirama said and then shook his head like he couldn’t fathom that his rival thought so low of him.

Then he added with a scoff, and slightly bristled, “Your brother gives me a lot of credit that I have no hope or even the slightest interest to ever repay, because I surely would never do any of those things. What’s wrong with him?”

“He hates you. He hates the Senju. For him, you and your clan are the reason our brothers are dead.”

“And? Your clan isn’t innocent either. Nobody of us is innocent. Senju killed Uchiha, Uchiha killed Senju. And for me there is only one line I can’t forgive, no matter if Senju or Uchiha, and that’s hunting and torturing children to their death. A quick death, fine, its war, I hate it, but a war is a war. Even children can be deadly, and sometimes you have to kill them to ensure your own survival.”, Tobirama gritted, “But I can’t tolerate if people make some kind of sport out of it.” 

“You don’t need to tell me this. I’m very much aware of it. And I’m of the same opinion. Unfortunately, Izuna has his own opinion on matters, and I can only hope he will see reason someday and stop being a paranoid dickhead.”

They were silent for a moment, then Tobirama said with a shrug, “Well, it’s his right to think what he wants. Maybe I would be the same if our roles were reversed.”

“No, you wouldn’t, Otouto. Don’t forget how suspicious you have been when I told you about the ceasefire. If you look at it, then we have the most reason to be paranoid and suspicious, not the Uchiha. If the roles would have been reversed, and it would have been Izuna in your stead, I doubt you would have let me send another offer about a ceasefire or peace treaty to Madara. Or maybe you would have but only with the head of the responsible Senju served on a platter.”

“Hmpf. Can’t deny it.” Tobirama hummed while Madara stared at him, not in disbelief, more the opposite. He hadn’t any doubt about Tobirama beheading a rapist even if it was a clan member.

“Without wanting to offend you, Madara,…”, said Uchiha turned his gaze to the older Senju, “…but your brother seems delusional or much to paranoid in the matter. I know what it feels like losing brothers, we all know it. More than anyone else I know how it feels to hate a person that is or has hurt someone close.” Hashirama cast a quick glance at his brother before settling them back at Madara. “There are many Senju I hated beside Butsuma, either because they supported him or because they looked away. But the older I grew the more I understood, especially after I presented. I observed, I learned, and I forgave. Not all of them of course, but many of them. It’s okay for Izuna to be wary, to not trust immediately, especially knowing that among the Senju and Uchiha are people who don’t want peace. But he searches at places that make no sense.”

“No offense taken. It’s nothing but the truth. The problem is I don’t know how to change his opinion. I let him read Tobirama’s letters to Kagami. For a short time, I even thought he was warming up to the entire idea of peace between our clans. But then he turned even more distanced.” Madara let his head fall in his hands, and rubbed his face, before sighing deep. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I fear there is nothing you or we can do except of giving him time and proof to him there is nothing to fear.” Hashirama said with a soft voice while putting a hand on Madara’s shoulder to comfort his friend.

Tobirama watched Madara thoughtfully. Then he said, “Madara, to a certain point I understand Izuna’s point of view. However, it worries me how deep his hate is running. And it lets me wonder if he might become a danger to my, to our child.”, Madara’s eyes widen, staring at Tobirama who continued without a pause, “In the next weeks and months we have to discuss how we want to do thinks. You surely want to be there when I give birth, what I‘ll do at our home.” He pointed at himself and Hashirama, which indicated he meant their home within the Senju compound.

“After that, we might discuss a plan where I might visit the Uchiha compound for a few days, so you can see your child regularly. However, I’ll not bring the baby into a home where it might not be welcomed, or worse be in danger. I swear I’ll kill anyone who tries to harm my baby, and I don’t care if the one is your brother or not.”

Madara opened his mouth to just close it again. What could he say to that? He truly wanted to defend his brother against such an accusation, but could he? He had no idea how Izuna would react to all that new information. Will he be happy? Will he have another tantrum? Will he become even more distant? What if he sees Tobirama within their home and decides to attack him, not caring about the young omega holding Madara’s child, Izuna’s own nephew or niece, in his arms? What would Madara do in that case?

“I…I don’t know what to say. As much as I want to defend Izuna, I can’t truly say what he will think about it. Deep in my heart I know he isn’t such a horrible person, that he won’t kill an innocent baby, no matter of its origin, but…but what if he sees you and…attacks you? Maybe not on purpose, but out of instinct because you’re his rival, his enemy that he fought on battlefields whenever Senju and Uchiha clashed. I heard of people who got lost in flashbacks and attacked even family members, because they didn’t recognize them. It mostly happened with betas, as their senses are less developed than those of alphas or omegas. But an alpha feeling threatened among his home by a former enemy? It’s definitely a possibility when not properly prepared. So, you, eh, properly have a point to be wary, as much as I hate it.”

None of them said anything for a while. Madara did never consider this to be a possibility. Not for a second did he thought Izuna might be a threat to his child. But now that Tobirama brought it up, he couldn’t think about anything else. And it made him furious. He needed to talk with his father and the twins about it. 

“I think it’s time to go back. People might wonder where we are.” Tobirama suggested, though he absolutely would prefer to just go back to their quarters and stay away from all these insufferable idiots and their stupid pheromones.

“Uhm, before we return, one last question. What about our courtship? Will you, I mean, it’s okay if you refuse, but…”

“I accept. I can’t tell if what you said is true, about us being life mates I mean. But I like your scent. We are expecting a child. Therefore, I’m willing to at least try.”

“Are…are you sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I be. It’s not like we will have sex or whatever anytime soon.”

“I swear, I won’t leave you two alone for a second.” Hashirama growled, though it was more in displeasure about the thought his brother being defiled by his former best friend, probably soon-to-be brother-in-law.

“At least, you didn’t refuse. The courtship is everything I’m asking for. And I hadn’t come without a gift either. So, let me give you this, Tobirama. It’s a fan, a family heirloom as you want. My mother has given it to me and explained it was given to her by father as a courtship gift. And Tajima had been given it by his mother with the same words my mother told me. This fan has a very long history and tradition. It’s given to the oldest child when it’s time for them to find a mate or if the child comes and informs that there is someone they want to court.”

“That’s sound like the fan is only given to an alpha child.”

“It doesn’t truly matter. Yes, I can’t deny that for the last generations it was always an alpha who received the fan, but my mother never said it was a rule. So, even if our child is an omega or beta, it doesn’t matter.”

“I see. What if I want to give it to Kagami?” Madara shrugged.

“He’s your son, and he’ll become mine as soon as we mate, no matter if we manage to form a parental bond or not. Kagami already is family anyway. He’s part of my pack. So, I see no problem if you give it to him. But I must insist that you’ll not give it to him until we are mated. Should you refuse to mate with me, then it’s tradition that the fan is given back to the one who had offered it.”

“I thought it’s a gift?”

“Hm, maybe I worded it wrong. Let’s say, this fan will be a sign of our courtship. If you give it back, then it means the end of the courtship without a mating ceremony after. If you keep it, well, it means the opposite, the end of the courtship with a mating ceremony after.”

“Sounds reasonable. And how do I let you know if I want the latter?”

“We already decided our courtship will at least last until you’re of age, which means we have a little under two years to get to know each other. We can take your birthday as a date to discuss what we want to do, or a few days later, if you feel more comfortable with it. We could also keep the option open to prolong the courtship should we need more time to decide. We don’t have to make any rush decisions, just because others might push for it.”

“Hm. Indeed not.”

“Well then. Hashirama-sama. May I formally asked for allowance to court your brother until he’s of age and can make his own decision or until either of us want to end it? I swear I’ll protect him and do nothing he or you won’t allow.” Madara asked with a bow in Hashirama’s direction.

“You don’t need to be so formal about it Madara. I accepted yesterday, and I won’t take it back now. And in the end it’s not my decision, no matter what any laws say. Tobirama is the one you need to ask. If he agrees, then I agree as well.” Madara nodded, and moved his body so he was face to face with Tobirama and bowed.

“I asked again. Will you, Senju Tobirama…”

“Yes, yes. Come on, I’m tired. Your child is kicking me since forever and I really need to pee right now.” Madara stared, then laughed. Then he slightly bowed again and stretched out his hands with the fan in hands, offering it to Tobirama, who despite his hurry and tiptoeing on his toes took it carefully. And with that they were officially engaged.

Chapter Text

Tobirama stood aside watching the crowd. It was now the last day before they would finally head home. Just a few hours ago, he and Hashirama went to the glass maker to pick up their order. Luckily enough, the glass maker managed to create a pair of glasses which allowed Tobirama to see a little further than a few centimeters. It wasn’t perfect, but enough for Tobirama to read and write without his nose on the parchment.

And he was wearing them now, allowing him to observe people within a ten meters radius. Luckily, no one dared to approach him again. Mostly because he was now officially courted by Madara after he accepted the fan Madara had been offering.

And thanks to his new glasses, Tobirama could admire the beauty of the gift at its fullest. Completely black, with the Uchiha clan symbol in the middle, a Sharingan eye with three tomoe on one side and a war fan that resembled very much the one Madara was wearing, on the other. And like Madara had said, the fan allowed to hide senbon, thin medal needles, within it confines, and to be used as weapons. No doubt all Shinobis in the room were aware of it, but no one saw the need to mention it to the Daimyo, after all no one was truly weaponless.

It was a beautiful fan, Tobirama could admit that. And definitely meant for another Uchiha to wear, which was the exact reason why everyone knew the moment Tobirama stepped inside the courtroom again with fan in hand and spread open in front of his lower face for everyone to see, that he was now engaged to Uchiha Madara. And there was no doubt, because said alpha had been right next to Tobirama with a smug grin and pushed out chest.

Or at least it was clear to most, because it seemed the Daimyo hadn’t gotten the message and approached Tobirama with two unmated alphas at his side, who introduced them as the sons of one of the neighbor country’s rulers.

“You see Tobirama-kun. Some months ago, the Daimyo of Kawa no Kuni (Land of Rivers) visited us with his two sons. We agreed to invite Ashitaka-san and Amuro-san to the banquet with the hope they might find a mate to strengthen our countries alliance. And what should I say, both took an interest in you as soon as they saw you.”

Tobirama had stared at the Daimyo in disbelief, so did Madara and Hashirama, and for that matter anyone else who had been close enough to hear it. The reason? Because Tobirama should have been the last person, omega or not, pregnant or not, to be considered as a possible option for a marriage with a son of another country’s Daimyo. He was a Shinobi with no name connected to a noble clan or otherwise relation to any nobility.

Someone had cleared their throat and the Daimyo’s gaze switched from Tobirama to the alpha next to him, namely Uchiha Madara, who carefully said, “Daimyo-dono. With much respect. But Tobirama is no longer available for…courtship or…marriage. At least not for the next two years.”

“Oh? Why not? If I remember correctly, your request of courtship had been denied by Hashirama-san the first you have stood before me. Did I understand something wrong?”

“NO, no, my Lord. That day my request indeed had been rejected, but…” Madara slightly shifted his gaze to Tobirama, who still stood frozen in his place with the fan still held in front of his face, “…as you can see, my newly request of a courtship hadn’t. Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-san both agreed to give it a chance.”

Madoka shifted his gaze to the fan, and realization spread across his face, though if Tobirama interpreted his look right, the Daimyo was less than pleased with it. “I see. How long is the courtship meant to be?”

“At least until Tobirama reaches majority, Madoka-dono. After that…well there are three possible options how we proceed. Of course, I’ll do my best to proof myself an agreeable mate.” In no way did Madara plan to reveal what he had just revealed to Tobirama and Hashirama some minutes before, namely that Tobirama and Madara were life mates. Even though it may make no difference at that point.

“Hm. Maybe…”

“Ah, Madoka-dono. It’s fine. We wouldn’t want to intrude in an already accepted courtship.” Madoka had snapped his head to the side from where Amuro had spoken. Tobirama wasn’t so sure how old the two alphas were, but from the looks he guessed they were not older than Hashirama and Madara were.

The omega also had noticed a slight nervousness in the young alpha’s voice, who visible swallowed when his gaze moved from Tobirama’s other side, where Hashirama stood, to Madoka.

“Maybe you can introduce us to those lovely omegas over there?” Madoka had narrowed his eyes, also noticing nervousness in the young voice, and slightly turned his head to the three Shinobi. He must have seen something that let him immediately blanch. Though it took him only a second to plaster a smile back on his face.

“Hm, hm. Who am I to interfere in such matters. I guess I have to congratulate Lord Madara on changing Hashirama’s and Tobirama’s mind in such a short manner of time. Hopefully, this union will also finally end the everlasting war between your clans.” His smile grew wider despite the lack of honesty it provided. Tobirama was almost sure he saw some kind of fear in the Daimyo’s eyes, though he couldn’t by the best will of the world understand why.

Madara had mumbled a curt “Thank you” before the Daimyo excused himself and the two visitors. Then he had sighed and mumbled a short “What was that?”, which Hashirama answered with a growled “I have no idea, but I don’t like it.”

It was only then that Tobirama unfroze and looked at his elder brother, who visible bit his cheeks to suppress another growl. His fists were clenched and his whole body seemed to vibrate with tension. His gaze had wandered to Madara, who seemed in a similar state, and it dawned to Tobirama then why the other alpha was so nervous and why Madoka reacted so strangely for a second. The alpha had seen it and knew it was better to stop whatever they planned.

Tobirama had decided it was also best to call it a night and had hooked his arms in theirs to lead them outside without another word to anyone.

And now they were back in that damned courtroom for the last time. And if everything goes well then he won't need to attend another Daimyo’s court ever again, may it be because he will have a pup soon that he can use as an excuse or because they will live in a village where others will have the pleasure to attend the Daimyo’s court. He truly had no desire to bow in front of that creepy brat, who clearly intended to sell Tobirama off to some unknown place. Why and wherefore, he had no idea. And he was determined to never find out by letting the brat win.

“Tobirama?”

“Hm?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why do you like you bit into a lemon?”

“Because I’m annoyed, Anija. My back hurts. My feet are swollen, and the pup thinks my bladder is a punching ball.” Tobirama rubbed his belly to emphasize his last words and then flinched when another kick hit his ribs. “Damned. I’m sure my intestines are black and blue by now.”

Hashirama grimaced in empathy, but there was nothing he could do for now. Later, if they were back in their quarters he could help to soothe the ache and to calm the child down, but there was nothing he could do with so many around them. After all, it was still forbidden to use any chakra. The only exception would be an emergency, but otherwise it’d mean execution.

“Hashirama, Tobirama. How are you doing?” Both turned to their aunt, Hatake Suiko, who approached them with her son, Hatake Sakuto.

“Good be better.” Tobirama grunted. “The pup doesn’t like me very much in the moment.”

“Hm, maybe it can feel your sour mood and doesn’t like it. Sakuto tended to kick me whenever I was annoyed or mad.”

“Mother.”

“What? It’s true. You only calmed down when I finally was able to relax, which wasn’t quite often, you know.” The young Hatake turned red, and mumbled something under his breaths Tobirama couldn’t quite catch. There was another kick to his gut that let Tobirama almost crumble to the ground when it wouldn’t have been for Madara who appeared right next to him with a cup of water in his hand.

“You’re alright?”

“Your kid…”, Tobirama inhaled sharply, “Damn it.” Suddenly, there was a wet feeling around his backside and Tobirama couldn’t stop a whimper from escaping his mouth. Immediately, Hashirama, Madara, and the two Hatake were on alert.

“Shit, Hashirama. I think I can smell blood.” Madara whispered in a slight panic. Hashirama smelled it as well and wrapped an arm around his brother, who tried not to make a scene.

“Bring him back to your quarters. It could be nothing. Some minor bleeding isn’t uncommon during pregnancy, especially when the pup is so active, but it won’t be good for either Tobirama or the pup when it doesn’t calm down soon.” Suiko whispered and helped to block Tobirama from any onlookers.

“What about the Daimyo? It’s still too early to just leave.” Hashirama gritted.

“Don’t worry about him. You have a very reasonable excuse to leave. If he wants to keep the loyalty of the clans he won’t make a fuse about it.”

“O-okay. Thanks Suiko-sama.”

“Just Suiko. Don’t forget I’m your aunt. We’re family.” The Hatake woman smiled before she hushed them towards the exit, making sure no one would notice anything. Though from the corner of her eyes, she could see the trinity clan heads watching them with slightly worried expressions. She knew they were no threat and were allies to the Uchiha, even if they hadn’t participated in any fights between Senju and Uchiha. Luckily, she didn’t see the Daimyo and no one else seemed to notice the disappearance of the two Senju and one Uchiha.

----

“And? Is everything okay with Tobirama? The pup?” Madara asked anxiety.

“Yeah, there are fine. Yumiko examined Tobi and confirmed what aunt Suiko said. It was just some minor bleeding that had stopped the moment Tobirama laid down and relaxed.” Madara sighed in relief at the news.

“Good. Good.”

They sat down at the chabudai and Hashirama filled a cup of tea for himself and Madara. After a short pause he looked at his friend and future brother-in-law.

“Madara. I have thought. Maybe we should travel back together, at least until we reach the edge of our respective borders. I’m worried there will be an ambush.”

“Because of what Hikaku and Izuya reported that day?”

“That and what my own spy reported shortly after. And I don’t like how the Daimyo tried to sell my brother. Truly, I have no idea why he has his eyes on Tobirama. And I’m quite sure it has nothing to do that he’s pregnant with your child. After all, we only know for some days it’s yours.”

“Yes, but he might know about the pregnancy for months already. Mine or not, the child has still Uchiha blood in their veins.”

“I don’t know. Maybe. But it makes no sense. Why would he risk the clans turning against him? He isn’t very subtle in what he’s trying to do.”

“You mean the sons of the Daimyo of Kawa no Kuni?”

“Yes. Never before did something happen like this. If two countries wanted to form an alliance or merge, then it would be mostly sealed with a marriage between the children of the Daimyo or close relatives. So why Tobirama?”

“I don’t know either Hashirama. Maybe we should consider sending two of our Shinobis, one of yours and one of mine, to Kawa no Kuni. It’s a small country that borders between Kaze no Kuni (Land of Wind) and Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire). I have no idea why they might be interested in Tobirama other than he’s carrying an Uchiha child.”

“A joined mission. Are you sure it will be a good idea?”

“Hm. Depends on who we will send. Normally, I’d send Izuna on such mission, but I know he will refuse the moment I tell him it involves the Senju, especially if I tell him he has to work with one. He might only accept if I tell him he needs to find proof against you and not to protect you.”

“Is there someone else who might accept such mission?”

“Sango, Hikaku’s older sister. She’s not as good as Izuna as a spy, but good enough to gather the information we need. What about you?”

“Touka. She won’t be happy, but she won’t jeopardize a mission when it involves Tobirama’s safety.”

“Then I guess we will send them as soon as we return. Maybe give it a week at least before we send them, so it won’t be much of a suspicion should there be a spy. Let them meet up in one of the smaller villages close to the border.”

“Sounds good to me. So, what about our trip back?”

“We will join you. By now, everyone knows Tobirama is carrying my child, so it won’t be much of a surprise if I want to be close to him until I’m sure he’s close to home and safety.”

“What about our elders? Have you something in mind what to do about them?”

“You mentioned a spy. What did they exactly find?”

Hashirama looked down at the table and answered with a growl. “They watched elder Homura’s movements and gathered enough information to not only confirm what Hikaku and Izuya reported, but also that he worked with these group for several years already.”

“Who is this group?”

“Mostly bloodline thieves, but they’re also comfy in assassination and slavery. The worst of the worst, if you will.” Hashirama bit his lower lip. “As it seems, he has been involved in some of the kidnappings among the other clans we are allied to.”

“Shit. That means there is also a possibility Hjouske, and his brother are involved in the kidnapping of some of our own children or that of our allies.” Hashirama shrugged but nodded at the same time.

“Fuck. Those assholes.” Madara snarled, his eyes flashing alpha red for a brief moment.

“You said Sango-san was also looking for proof of rape incidents right?”

“Ah shit. I almost forgot. I’m not sure if she’s already back from that mission. If not, I might have to find someone else to send on our joined mission. Maybe, I won’t have another choice as to send Hikaku.”

“But he’s your heir. If we want to start peace talks.”

“I can easily promote someone else to be my heir for the time being. Even Sango. But that won’t be necessary, because there is still my father, who was the former clan head. No one will complain if he takes in Hikaku’s position during negotiations.”

“He’s doing well.”

“Thanks to you and your brother. Fuck, Hashirama. Do you know how much I owe you already? I wouldn’t even be surprised if I come home and people will demand I step down as clan head.”

“Hm. Do you really think so? From what little I have seen of those that are here, I don’t have the feeling you will face such issues. At least by those who want that peace to happen.”

“Tch. You ever optimistic idiot.” Madara grumbled and drank the rest of his tea in one go while Hashirama just grinned.

“Whatever. Should there be indeed an ambush tomorrow, I’ll kill Hjouske and present his head to his brother and son at home. I’ll remind everyone what it means to betray the clan.” Madara huffed before he stood followed by Hashirama.

“Same goes for me. Luckily, both have no idea that we know, and we should be careful not to show our hand until it’s time to do so. Luckily enough, no one will suspect anything if we both stay close to Tobirama.”

“Hm, maybe I have a better idea. So, listen up.”

----

“How are you feeling, Otouto?”

“Could be better, but I’m fine, Anija.”

“Are you thirsty, hungry maybe?”

“No.”

“How are the glasses? Are they comfortable?”

“Yes, Anija. It’s weird to wear them, and I don’t truly like showing people any weakness. Have you seen how everyone looked at me yesterday?”

“Yes, though I think they were more focused on that fan you’re holding instead of what you have settled on the bridge of your nose.” Hashirama chuckled. Then he added, “But even if they noticed the glasses, I don’t see why it’s an issue. Let them think they might have found a weakness. You’re more than capable to proof them wrong.” Hashirama said with a proud grin.

Tobirama grumbled something under his breaths that was barely understandable, but his red cheeks said everything Hashirama needed to know, so his grin widened even more.

“You’re so cute, Otouto. There is no reason to be shy.”

“Shut your mouth. What are you even talking about? Shy. Whenever have I been shy.”

“But just look at you. All red and flustered. Imagine Madara would see you like this.” Tobirama’s cheeks turned even more red before he snarled at his brother to stop the teasing. Who cared what Madara would think? He wasn’t there, so it didn’t matter.

He crossed his arms after snapping the fan close and leaned back, looking out of the window at the opposite side where his brother was walking next to the carriage Tobirama sat in.

It had been just two hours since they started their way back home. Two Senju were scouting ahead for any threats while the rest of the escort walked nearby. Elder Yumiko shared the carriage with Tobirama and sat across from him, while the other elders sat in the second carriage.

As much as relaxed Hashirama seemed, inwardly he was very much on alert. If Madara was correct, then it shouldn’t be long until they will be attacked.

And just as he had thought that they heard a loud explosion coming from ahead. Almost at the same time at least thirty Shinobi and non-Shinobi jumped into view and attacked without hesitation.

Hashirama barely noticed how two of them jumped on Tobirama’s carriage and forced it to move away from him. He wanted to stop it, but his entire focus was on the six Shinobi that attacked him without pause.

Luckily, the carriage didn’t go far, because it was Yumiko who leaped at the two in the front and killed them in an instant. Before Hashirama had any chance to make his way over while fighting, five more opponents appeared in front of him, while five others found the way to Yumiko and Tobirama.

From there Hashirama lost track of his brother, and it let his alpha roar. Everything got out of hand. He was vaguely aware Yumiko was fighting Homura or how Touka’s grandfather had joined the fight. He desperately wanted to know where Madara was, and even more so where Tobirama was, because the carriage he had been in was gone.

Everything got too much, and Hashirama finally snapped. With a load roar several vines shoot from the ground and those not fast enough to dodge were impaled on the spot. And then there was a sudden fire, and Hashirama saw Hikaku and several other Uchiha appear to fight off any opponent left. Madara wasn’t among them though.

----

Tobirama cursed. The ambush had been expected, and still it was much too easy for the enemy to surprise them. From one eye blink to the next, they were surrounded, and someone took reign of the carriage he was sitting in. The sudden forceful movement threw him right back into his seat, which forced a grunt out of his mouth to the impact. He was still sore and tired from what his kid had done to his internals, and Tobirama really wanted to just return home and lay down in his nest.

And yet here he was, alone and trying to figure out how to stop the damned carriage without getting himself killed in the process. For a short moment he thought he could make his exit after Yumiko took care of the two who at first took reign of the carriage. But before he could make a jump into freedom, several kunai flew in his direction forcing him back inside, and then two others took reign of the carriage.

Tobirama had no clue where they were heading to, but he knew he needed to escape before they reached it. He tightened his grip around his kunai that he had pulled as soon as the attack started, but instead of going for the enemy, he looked outside. So far as he could see the road was clear and with any luck the two in the front wouldn’t notice his disappearance until it was too late.

“Oi, look…’s alive…sure if he…hit…”

“….ou dumb…’re speaking…the ‘Demon’. The hell…looking…” Tobirama heard the hushed voices coming from the front. From the few words he understood, they thought he might be injured due to the lack of attack but also scared enough not to risk looking just to get killed if they were wrong. Stupid, but what should Tobirama say. At least, for once his reputation as a Demon served to his advantage. And he was determined to take it.

Tobirama cut through the tarp and carefully climbed onto the roof. Again, he tried to see if there was anyone following them, but neither foe nor ally was in sight. Unlucky for him there were no close branches he could reach, so his only option was to jump to the ground.

However, before he could brace himself for the jump, a figure suddenly jumped out of the forest and landed only a few meters behind the carriage. Thanks to his glasses, Tobirama immediately identified the person as Madara, who ran after them.

Madara put a finger in front of his mouth, signaling Tobirama to stay quiet, and then stretched his arms out, a clear sign of what he wanted Tobirama to do. The omega comprehended for just a second but then jumped right into Madara’s waiting arms. The alpha caught him without issues and immediately vanished with him in the woods.

Neither of the two enemies noticed that their prey had gotten away and continued their way.

“I…”

“Shh.” Madara ducked back behind thick bushes and leaned over Tobirama to hide his striking hair from view with his own long black hair. Tobirama waited, knowing why Madara was doing it. He didn’t need to be told that there were probably enemies approaching. So, he remained silent and breathed lowly, trying to ignore the seductive scent Madara was giving off.

If he could, he would kick himself right now. Now wasn’t the time to get aroused or whatever. He completely blamed his damned hormones for it.

Luckily, it wasn’t long until several people passed them without noticing them. When Madara deemed the coast clear, he stood and jumped onto the closest branch, and started a quick retreat to where Tobirama guessed his fellow Senju and brother were.

“Thanks.” Tobirama mumbled and tightened his grip around Madara’s neck.

“You’re welcome.”, he received as an answer together with a fond smile.

It didn’t take them long to reach the place where the attack happened, and before he knew it, Tobirama was taken from Madara’s arm right into those of his brother.

“Otouto.”

“Anija. I’m fine. Madara spared me from doing something stupid. And we didn’t run into anyone on our way back. So, believe me. I’m fine.”

Hashirama nodded and carefully put Tobirama on the ground.

The omega took in their surroundings. More than half of the attackers lay dead on the ground. Unfortunately, the two Senju scouts and three more were among them. Though he didn’t feel any regret when he saw Homura lying in front of Yumiko in his own pool of blood.

“Madara.”

“I’m sorry, Hashirama. We were delayed when Hjouske and two others fought against their capture.  It took us not long to subdue them, but long enough to reach you in time. I could feel how Tobirama was taken away from your group, so I went right after him while I sent the others to your support.”

Hashirama nodded in thanks, not once letting go of Tobirama, an arm around his younger brother’s waist to hold him close.

“It’s fine Madara. It’s mostly our own fault. We knew to expect the ambush, but we were surprised by the number they attacked with. And honestly, we shouldn’t have been. We can be lucky they didn’t succeed in their mission.”

“It was a close call.”, was all Madara could say to that, feeling as much guilt as Hashirama probably did.

“You two. Stop it. Yes, we underestimated the enemy. Yes, we probably should have chained up Homura and anyone else involved as soon as we left the city, but what’s done is done. I’m still here. Our enemy lost. Just let’s go home and give our fallen a proper burial they deserve while Homura and that Hjouske guy can serve as a proper example for anyone else who dares to treason our clans. Anything else we can discuss later.”

Hashirama and Madara nodded and ordered everyone to get ready for departure. After an hour, they were back on the road, Tobirama being on Hashirama’s back, because they had no carriage left to transport their injured or dead, or in Tobirama’s case a pregnant omega who couldn’t use his chakra to keep up with the group, who run as fast as possible in direction of the respective homes. And wouldn’t it be for Tajima being propped up on Madara’s back, Tobirama might have even felt embarrassed to be carried like a helpless child.

Chapter Text

Madara spread his senses as far as he could. They may have withstood the first attack, and killed many, but it’d be reckless to think they were safe from a second attempt, as unlikely as it might be.

Still, there might be another ambush waiting for them. Maybe a much larger group in case the first failed. Hashirama’s reputation as the God of Shinobi was very well known, even outside of Hi no Kuni. But even a god gets tired, and Hashirama no matter how big his chakra reserves are will falter at some point when fighting several opponents at once. 

“Madara.”

“Yes, Otousan.” Tajima was still on Madara’s back, which allowed him to speak with Madara without anyone hearing them.

“It’s very likely there will be another attack. Those that escaped probably reunited with the backup group and informed them of our intervention.”

“So, you too think they are more?”

“I can’t be certain but think of it. During the winter it had been twenty Shinobi who attacked the Senju. They didn’t get far but six still managed to slip out from the fight and head to the Senju compound before you joined the fight. Because of that, Hashirama was able to follow them and to stop them from kidnapping or killing Tobirama. Still, at least two of them escaped. It’s possible they are a part of the group, and from what you told me they are very strong.”

“You think they might be among the second party.”

“It’s possible. Hjouske and that Senju elder, Homura was his name I think, could have worked together for a long time, though I can’t imagine why they would do it. However, I think at least the Senju elder was involved in that first attempt, because it explains why the Shinobi knew when and where to attack. I can’t tell if Hjouske was involved from the start, but we know he worked with Homura to plan the current attack. And if the same group as before is involved then they know twenty Shinobi will not be enough to fight Hashirama.”

“So, they increased the numbers and planned a two-staged attack?”

“It’s what I think, yes. You know Tobirama has his own reputation. He might be not as strong as Hashirama, or you, but after you he’s probably the strongest Shinobi in Hi no Kuni.”

“Probably? I’m very sure he is.” Madara snorted. “Even if I thought he and Izuna are equals, but I know better now. Izuna wouldn’t stand a chance, if Tobirama goes all in.”

“Anyway, what I wanted to say is, that the attackers probably thought they would have to fight them both. I’m not sure, though, because I don’t know if Homura was fully aware of Tobirama’s chakra condition. Maybe he told them but warned them that his information might be incorrect or inadequate.”

“I guess I know where you’re heading. The first attack served to tire both of them out, so that the second attack would have a much higher rate of success, especially if they thought they won and lower their guard, therefore.”

“Precisely. What they did not count for was our involvement, however, so I think they might plan an ambush after we separate again to head to our respective compounds.”

“Hm, you mean they are hiding somewhere near the Senju border in the north?”

“That’s my guess.”

“And what is your suggestion we should do?”

“Hm, there are three possible options. One, sending our scouts to see if a group is truly waiting to engage the Senju. Two, we travel with them until we reach the border. Three, we allow the Senju onto our land, maybe invite them to our home for a night, and let them reenter their land over the east side of their border, you know where both our territories are separated by the Naka River.” Madara almost missed a step.

“You…You truly suggest inviting them into our home? Isn’t that…a little too straight forward?”

“Madara. Do you truly want to risk them getting your mate and child?”

“No, no of course not, but…” Madara focused his gaze on the back of Tobirama who was on the back of his brother some meters in the front. “Do you think it’s safe to bring him to our compound? Hjouske is gone, but there is still Yashiro. And as much as I hate to say it, there is also Izuna.” Tajima was quiet for a moment, his eyes also focused on the albino’s back, who seemed to be dozing despite the jumping movements.

“Let them see, Madara. Let them see how determined you are to bring peace. Let them see Amaterasu’s gift for you and what he carries under his heart. Just, let them see.” Tajima whispered with a wistful tone.

Madara narrowed his eyes. Could he do that? Will his clan understand, will Izuna understand? What if his own people attack his mate? Would he be able to fight them, to kill them? Yes, yes he would. He killed Hjouske after all. And he will kill Yashiro as well.

A smile creeped up in Madara’s face. Yes, he could kill Yashiro right in front of his mate and serve his head on a platter as he has promised.

“Let me talk to Hashirama and see what he thinks.” Madara said and received a slight nod in response.

----

In the end they decided on two things. Sending a scout party and inviting the Senju to the Uchiha compound for a night. The reason is that it’d take the scouts at least two or three days to return with news. And if they are discovered, then the enemy would know their plan had been figured out. So instead of waiting like some ducks on a rock, the rest of the group would change direction and head straight to the Uchiha compound.

Hikaku also volunteered to speed up as soon as they reached Uchiha border to warn and prepare the clan for the visitors to which Madara agreed but also warned Hikaku not to reveal too much.

One and a half days later, the Uchiha compound came into view. Before they entered, Madara let his father go as did Hashirama with Tobirama. With the Senju in the middle, they entered a few minutes later.

“Madara, what is the meaning of this.” Madara snapped his head in the direction where Yashiro and two other elders pushed their way through the crowd.

Without a word, Madara stretched his hand to one of the Uchiha that had been part of their delegation and took the bag from their hand. Curious, the Uchiha watched how Madara opened the bag. Their curiosity quickly turned to shock when Madara threw the head of Hjouske to the ground right in front of a very ghostly looking Yashiro.

“Wha…”

“A traitor has no place in my clan. It had been discovered that elder Hjouske worked with one of the Senju elders, who had been killed as well. Both were involved with a large group of what we think are bloodline thieves and slavers. On our way back here we have been attacked, and we are mostly certain a second ambush was waiting for our allies. So, we decided to invite the Senju to our home.”

“Lies. You’re lying. My brother…”

“Hikaku and Izuya had seen it for themselves. They had followed Hjouske to the hideout near the capital city’s border. They witnessed him speaking with the Senju elder as well as members of that group.”

“You…”

“Madara.” Madara heard the whispered growl from his future mate and knew immediately what it meant. Tobirama recognized Yashiro.

“…this is unacceptable. You can’t just…”

“Elder Yashiro. May I ask you something?”

“I…”

“It was a rhetorical question. Now, answer me this one. When you convinced father to create the child hunter squads, what was his condition in regards killing children.”

“…” Yashiro’s face turned pale, even more so when he saw his brother’s head flying in his direction.

“The condition was to make their death quick. No torture, no playing around or whatever. You remember the day you returned from your mission five or six years ago, alone without your squad members and explaining a demon killed them? Well, let me introduce you to Senju Tobirama, the one killing your squad members after they and you tortured his youngest sibling and left him to die a very slowly death.”

Madara stepped to the side and watched in smugness how every Uchiha sharply inhaled with eyes growing wide and some jaws almost hitting the ground. Yashiro was much better, be he looked also confused.

“I…I don’t understand. Who is that?”

“As I said, Senju Tobirama, Hashirama’s younger brother and the heir of the Senju clan. Well, and my betrothed.” Everyone’s head snapped to Madara, who grinned proudly. “You heard me right. And you know what. The child he’s carrying?” Madara carefully put a hand on Tobirama’s belly, who didn’t flinch at the touch. “It’s mine.”

“What?” Now it was Madara’s turn to snap his head around, right there where Izuna stood.

His brother looked between him and Tobirama, who hadn’t removed his eyes from Yashiro yet, not that Madara noticed because he was fixated on his brother.

“Izuna.”

“Don’t Izuna me. What do you mean by the child is yours? And why is Senju fucking Tobirama looking like a male version of our goddess?”

“He was born like that.” It wasn’t Madara who answered, but Hashirama. “Due to our father, Tobirama had been forced to hide his appearance. And when Butsuma died, Tobirama decided to keep it hidden for the outside world. Well, until it turned out he’s pregnant.”

“Bullshit.” Izuna spat. “This is just…”

“Kasan.” A high-pitched voice interrupted Izuna and before anyone could react a tiny body burled into Tobirama, who had braced himself for the impact.

Tiny arms wrapped around Tobirama’s legs, and it was only then that Tobirama removed his eyes from the Uchiha elder to move his head down to face the wide grinning toddler with his own smile.

“Kagami. My little stripling. How have you been?”

“I ‘issed ‘ou. Did ‘ou miss me? ‘hy are ‘ou here? I’m glad ‘ou’re here. But ‘hy you here? Did some’hing happen?”

“Calm down Kagami. Yes I missed you. Something did indeed happen. It’s the reason why we here, but it doesn’t have to concern you.” Kagami watched Tobirama wide-eyed, though there was a little pout building at the end of the last sentence.

“I’m alw’ys concerned. You’re my mami.” Tobirama’s smile widened while he ran a hand through Kagami’s hair. Next to him, Hashirama snickered and put an arm around his brother’s shoulder while everyone else watched in awe.

“I know what you mean, Kagami. Your mother is truly a trouble magnet. It’s difficult to keep him out of any. I hope the little one won’t be as bad as their mother, or else I’ll truly need some help.”

“I’ll help. I p’otect them. It is my little sibling after all.” Kagami yelled in excitement.

“Don’t listen to your uncle, Kagami. He’s a much bigger troublemaker than I am.” Tobirama swapped Kagami up into his arms and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “Though I appreciate that you want to help protecting your little sibling.”

“Oy. Don’t forget where you are. How dare you to come here and pretend everything is just fine. And you…”, Izuna growled, and then turned to his elder brother, snarling, “…what do you think you’re actually doing. Why did you bring them here? And what do you fucking mean with the child is yours?”

“Exactly what I said. The child is not the product of Haro’s…,” Madara paused with a side glance to Kagami, before his eyes settled back on Izuna, “…action. Something happened during our first meeting with the Daimyo that revealed that Tobirama and I actually met during the mission where I was hunting slavers.” Madara took a deep breath. “Comes out, someone tricked us to sleep with each other. We both had no idea about anything, we still don’t when it comes to certain memories. But to make it short. Our memories have been sealed during or after we were in rut and heat. The seal is still in place, so you can take a look for yourself.”

“And who is saying it wasn’t him who put a seal on you. Fuck, Madara, he…”

“Stop right there, Izuna. Hikaku had checked mine and Tobirama’s memories. Both our memories have been blocked almost at the same time while we were on different places at the time.”

“Izuna. It’s true. Hikaku can show you. We have seen it.” Misaki stepped forward, trying to reach Izuna with her own soothing tone.

“I can’t believe you. This is ridiculous. What’s coming next. That the demon is your life mate?”

Silence. Izuna stared at Madara who stared right back. Izuna’s expression turned even more sour. “Seriously? He’s your fucking life mate?”

It wasn’t Madara’s plan to reveal it, not like this, and not in front of the entire clan, fuck he’d very much prefer Izuna waiting until there are at home before starting his tantrum. Unfortunately, plans seldom survive the first minutes of an encounter, and Madara remembered the words of his father, ‘Let them see.’

“Yes.” Madara’s eyes whirled to the eternal Mangekyō Sharingan resulting in load gasps. Izuna’s mouth’s opened and closed, his mind unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

“Senju Tobirama is my life mate, he’s carrying my child, your nephew or niece. He and Hashirama agreed to a courtship that will hold on until Tobirama at least turns twenty and becomes an adult in the eyes of the law. Only then will we decide what to do next. We both agreed not to force the other into a loveless relationship, life mates or not.”

“I…I can’t believe it. What you’re saying makes no sense.”

“Why not? Do you think you’re the only one who is surprised by all of it? Two weeks ago, I had no clue about anything myself, except for my suspicion of Tobirama being my life mate. And that was only due to the blankets with his scent on he sent to help Kagami. It allowed me to get a sniff of his scent. Do you think if I had known before I’d have let you fight him? That I would have allowed Haro to get close to him and to stab him to death? That I…”

“…would have continued the war? News flash, the war is already over, and I know exactly what’s coming next. You don’t even need to try to deny it. Peace. But at what cost, Madara? Will you sell our clan, because you don’t want to risk making your little omega unhappy? Will you kneel and crawl in front of him, so he won’t take away your child, if we don’t agree to their terms?”

Madara stared. He should have known. He didn’t know why he expected Izuna to be happy for his brother finding his life mate. Or that he was becoming a father. It must have been this tiny spark of hope inside him that told him Izuna wasn’t such a resentful person. That he could actually overcome his hatred and be happy. But he was wrong. He could see it. Izuna will never be happy for Madara. He will never accept Madara’s mate as family, nor the children they will have. Izuna will forever hate Madara for not listening to him, choosing the Senju over his own brother, his own family, his own clan.

Madara looked at the other Uchiha, really looked. Yes, there were looks of nervousness and what all if it meant for their clan. But he saw no hate. More the opposite. Many were watching Tobirama and how he was with Kagami while also listening to them. There were smiles as well as childlike curiosity plastered on their faces, the latter probably because of Tobirama looking like their goddess.

“Nothing to say, brother?” Izuna almost spat the last word.

“Hm. You know. I discussed this with our former clan head, and Hikaku, because I feared you would say something like this. That I might be biased and not able to make important decisions for our clan anymore. I was told not to worry. But you know what. I will give our clan the choice. So, listen up everyone.”

“I promised the Senju a safe haven for the night. Tomorrow they will return to their home, and I’ll accompany them to the border. Now it’s up to you. Until their departure you have time to decide if you want me to continue as your clan leader or if you want someone else. Should you decide on the second I’ll ask Senju Hashirama for sanctuary, because I won’t risk you thinking I’m influencing the new clan head if they decide to pursue further the idea of peace.”

“And what if we decide to continue the fight? Will you return to us, to your family? Or will you abandon us?”

“If I have to decide between you and my mate and child, then Izuna, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’ll choose them. Neither will I fight against my own mate and child, nor will I watch them being killed by my own clan. Before that happens, I rather kill myself.”

“And what if he refuses? What if he doesn’t agree to become your wife, your mate. What then? Will you follow him like a dog?”

“You know Izuna…”, everyone’s attention turned to the albino, who had stepped closer to Madara with Kagami hold up on his right hip, “…I always admired your strength, your stamina, your quick thinking in battles, and your fairness. You fought me head on, and didn’t use any dirty tricks to which I don’t count your Sharingan, because it’s a natural ability you’re born with. Traps are also normal handiwork for a Shinobi, so I don’t count them as dirty tricks either. Anyway, what I want to say is, I thought, if I ever die at your hand, then I can be proud, because I hadn’t lost my life to someone unworthy. However, now I think you’re just a petty child that throws a tantrum whenever it doesn’t get what it wants.”

Shocked, Izuna stared at Tobirama, but the albino wasn’t done yet, “Senju and Uchiha have a long history, and nobody expects anything to be easy. Nobody is to expect to forget what happened, or to forgive. But you know what. I’m tired. I’m tired of fighting a battle that will never stop. I’m tired of watching people crying, of children crying for their parents who never will come home again. And if achieving a peace treaty with you means swallowing some pride then I’ll happily do so, because it means I won’t have to bury another clan member every other day.”

Tobirama looked at Kagami, who looked forth and back between them, not sure what was going on.

“A Shinobi life is seldom long. Even in the future we will lose people to missions, bloodline thieves, slavers, or war. I’m sure you’re aware of my brother’s dream building a village.” Tobirama let his gaze wander over the Uchiha, before it settled on Izuna again. “Even if we manage to build one, I’m very certain other countries will do the same, not because they want but because they will be forced to do so.”

“What do you mean?” Izuna snapped.

“Really? Senju and Uchiha living together, probably inviting other clans to join the village. Don’t you think other clans outside of our country might see it as a threat? After all, what would stop us from invading their lands and wipe out one clan after another.”

“We wouldn’t do that.” Izuna scoffed.

“And what makes you so sure of it? Who says the generation, or the generation after won’t do it. A change in leadership can change a lot of things. Just look at what is happening right now. Butsuma wasn’t willing to even think about peace. Hashirama, however, couldn’t even stop for a second to hope for it. Madara fought against it for years, just to send his own offer of a ceasefire after…” Tobirama considered his words for a moment and then looked at the Uchiha next to him. “…well, what happened. Anyway, I think you get what I mean.”

“Sure. Still, I think my brother is moron for trusting you. And I truly think whatever god decided to let an abomination like you to look like our goddess has a very sick kind of humor.”

A very tense silence filled the air, and Madara could feel the goosebumps building on his skin. He cast a worried glance at Hashirama, who had an arm around Tobirama's waist and was staring at Izuna with murderous intent.

“You take that back. Kasan is no abo-abom…what ‘ou said.” Much to everyone’s surprise, it was Kagami who broke the silence. The little one was clutching Tobirama’s Haori tightly like he wanted to protect him from the words Izuna spat.

“Kasan is a good person. He saved me, cared for me.”

“More like he stole you from us, from me. Did I not care for you? Have I not spared my time to teach you some chakra control. You’re just an ungrateful brat, Kagami. You have lived with us for years. But no, your little brain had to decide a Senju was better to bond with. I don’t care that he saved you, you had no idea who he was and still you got one whiff of his scent and deemed him better than any of us, better than me, an alpha. You’re just a little traitor nothing else.”

“You better stop him from speaking, Madara, or I can’t guarantee anything.” It wasn’t Tobirama or Hashirama who spoke, but no one other than Sango who stood next to Hikaku and had listened the entire time. “I can’t listen to his whining anymore.”

“And neither can the rest of us.” Elder Uchiha Tsukiyomi added, slightly stepping forward so everyone could see her. “Forget your stupid proposition for choosing another clan head, Madara. Except for a few, neither of us is interested in replacing you. Otherwise, we would have done so months ago. Tajima also send me a note to warn me beforehand of what was likely to happen, and I discussed it with the majority already.”

“What?” Madara turned to his father in shock. “Why haven’t you told me?”

Tajima shrugged, “I told you not to worry. Had Tsuki informed me most wanted you to step down as clan head, I’d have told you and asked Hashirama myself if he was willing to accept you among his clan. And depending on who would have chosen and what direction they would take, I had probably asked him if he was willing to accept a few more Uchiha. Do you think I want to watch how my children or grandchildren fight each other?”

“I see. You’re choosing him over your blood, your own son, your own brother.” Tajima and Madara looked back at Izuna, who stared at them in despise.

“You forget that this child…”, Madara pointed at Tobirama’s belly, “…is also from our blood. But much more important, we chose peace, Izuna. No one has to stay behind, and whoever does, does it on their own free will. No one is forced to stay, or to leave. I know my duty as a clan head is to protect my clan, and this is exactly what I’m trying to do. I explained my reason to you often enough as well. I don’t know what else to tell you. And I’m tired of repeating myself. The only thing I’m asking you about is giving it a chance. Because no matter if you like it or not, I’ll continue my way.”

“Even if it means to leave me behind?” Izuna whispered.

“Yes, Izuna. I love you. I’ll never stop loving you. But I can’t follow your way anymore. Too much has changed. Your way means fighting my own life mate, possibly fighting my own child in the future. I can’t do it. And isn’t it funny? You’re accusing me of being manipulated by the Senju, but you know Izuna, I think the only one who manipulated me for all those years was you. You used my love for you to refuse Hashirama’s peace offers. And even now you use it to make me feel guilty, because now you’re accusing me of leaving you behind. But it’s your choice, not mine. I did everything to keep you at my side, but it’s you who refuses to stay. And you don’t even try.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“We cannot trust them.”

“Why?”

“…”

“I see. Same as ever. You know what I think? Either someone is brainwashing you to think like that, or you’re like Hjouske and Yashiro, a power-hungry lunatic who don’t care how much of our people die as long as you can satisfy your own sick pleasure.” For the first time Madara saw something like regret in his brother’s eyes, but it disappeared as fast as it appeared.

“I just don’t want our clan to crawl in front of our enemies.”

“Neither do I. And I see no reason to think we will just because we agree to stop fighting.” Madara took another deep breath. “You know what. I’m tired. This entire conversation is exhausting and pointless. There was something else I wanted to do before you interrupted.” Madara turned his attention to Yashiro, who was watching the brothers with a smug expression. Madara bet he found it hilarious that Madara’s own brother refused to take his side.

“Elder Yashiro. I wish you a happy reunion with your brother. Goodbye.”

“Wha…” Several Uchiha took several steps back when Uchiha Yashiro’s head flew through the air. Without any fanfare Madara picked his head up and presented it to Tobirama, who had covered Kagami’s eyes with a hand.

“Really?”

“I promised, didn’t I.” Madara grinned before he turned to his clan. “Uchiha Yashiro is declared guilty for manipulating his former clan head, Uchiha Tajima, for ignoring orders, for secretly working with bloodline hunters that resulted in the death of several Uchiha and in the kidnapping of Uchiha Kagami. He and his brother are traitors to the Uchiha clan and therefore are denied any proper Uchiha burial rites. Their eyes will be removed and their bodies being given to the wilderness. Anyone having questions?” People shook their heads in response.

“Good. Then there is only one more thing for me to say. Senju Tobirama is under my protection. He’s carrying our child, and thus the future heir of the Uchiha clan. Any protests?”

“Uhm, Madara-sama?” Madara fixed his gaze on a young Uchiha.

“Yes, Hayato-kun.”

“I…Congratulations. But how will that work exactly? Won’t the child also be the future heir of the Senju clan?”

“Yes, but only until Hashirama will have his own children.”

“And what if he won’t have any?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure he will have some.” Madara gave his friend a look that caused Hashirama to turn bright red. He had told Madara about Mito and that she was probably his life mate. But Hashirama hadn’t thought so far that he might have any children with her. She was an alpha woman, and despite her being female, her chance of getting pregnant wasn’t very high due to her alpha genes. So, even if they decide to mate, it could take years for her to conceive a child, if ever.

“I don’t think we have to worry about it right now.” Hashirama stuttered.

“Hm, you’re right. Any more questions?”

“Why is Tobirama-san looking like our goddess?” This time it was a small child, maybe two years older than Kagami, who looked in awe at the albino.

“Hm. Maybe he’s a sign that it is time for Senju and Uchiha making peace? What do you think?” Madara offered as explanation.

The child nodded quickly, “I hate when mommy leaves. I don’t want her to leave me like papa did.” The woman standing next to the child, kneeled and wrapped an arm around her child, her eyes shining through unshed tears.

“Oh, honey. Mommy still have to go on missions sometimes.”

“Hm, but you won’t have to fight the monsters any longer. They are friends now, right?” The child looked up and then flinched. “’m sorry.” Hashirama stepped forward slowly and kneeled in front of the little girl with a smile.

“It’s alright, little one. You grew up with us as your enemy and I can only guess that you lost your papa to one of my clan members. And I’m sorry.”

“Oh, you’re the nice man, who saved my siblings. Thank you.” Hashirama was slightly taken aback by the sudden change of subject and needed a moment to get what the little one meant. When he finally remembered his smile grew wider as well as that of the child.

“Mina-chan.” The girl nodded at a rapid speed, before she wiggled out of her mother’s embrace and right into Hashirama’s chest.

“Thank you, thank you. For saving Rota-kun, and Ichi-chan.” Hashirama smiled softly while stroking the child’s head and then looked to the mother, who couldn’t hold her tears any longer.

“We hadn’t any chance to thank you, Senju-sama. My eldest and youngest wouldn’t have survived the winter without your help. As much as I hated your clan for killing my husband, as much as I’m grateful for you coming here and saving my little boys. The past six months have been an eye opener. For all of us. So, we will give peace a chance. For our children.”

“For our children, siblings, and their own children. For everyone.” Hashirama said with his own tears falling from his cheeks.

“For everyone.” The crowd chorused.

Chapter Text

Tobirama stretched out his limbs with a big yawn. Amazingly enough, he slept through the night without waking up once. Not like he did while they had been in the capital or whenever he was out on a mission. And considering where he was right now, it’s a wonder he even fell asleep. Madara’s mate or not, ceasefire or not, Hashirama at his side or not, Tobirama shouldn’t feel safe like he was sleeping in his own nest. Which he wasn’t.

Instead, Tobirama woke up in a room that was normally occupied by either one of the twins or Sango, Hikaku and Kagami during the winter. Therefore, it was perfect to house two Senju and little Kagami, who of course wanted to be with his mother, for the night. There were a few other rooms they could have used, but Hikaku and Sango offered it for the night, because they knew Madara would want his mate-to-be close, and it was time for them to return to their own house anyway.

The room was next to Madara’s and opposite where the twins’ room was. Izuna’s room was the other next door to Madara’s and Tajima’s room was next to the twins’ and opposite Madara’s.

At first, Tobirama hesitated to step foot into Madara’s home. It didn't matter how well he got along with the twins and Tajima, because there was still Izuna. Tobirama didn’t need his chakra to feel the murderous aura in Izuna’s chakra, neither did he need to see Izuna’s eyes. His entire body language screamed how much he hated the situation, how much he wanted the Senju gone.

Of course, Madara had noticed Tobirama’s hesitation when it was his turn to enter. And it took only a second for Madara to remember what Tobirama told him back at the capital as they exchanged gazes.

“I’ll not bring the baby into a home where it might not be welcomed, or worse be in danger.”

Madara hadn’t said anything. Instead, he slowly reached out and slightly brushed over Tobirama’s belly. It was enough of a gesture for Tobirama to understand that Madara would fight his own brother in order to protect his child and mate.

Though, which convinced Tobirama in the end, was the warmth and scent of Hashirama standing behind him. Yes, Tobirama trusted Madara to a certain point, but not enough to believe he’d fight or kill his own brother without hesitation. For which Tobirama couldn’t blame him. But any second of hesitation could mean the life or death of Tobirama and his child. And the only person Tobirama trusted blindly was his own brother, who killed their father without a second thought.

To be fair, there was no love between father and son, but neither was their love between Hashirama and Izuna. And this was all that mattered for Tobirama to take the step forward into Madara’s home. It wasn’t like Tobirama wished something to happen to Izuna, more the opposite. Tobirama hoped Izuna would give peace a chance, would see how much their clans would benefit from it. It doesn’t matter for Tobirama if they ever become friends or something like brothers. He truly didn’t care in the slightest, but for Madara’s and the rest of their family’s sake Tobirama hoped they won’t lose a sibling, a son, an uncle.

Either way, Izuna had vanished into his room for the rest of the evening and allowed the rest of them to settle and to get some peace and quiet. Tobirama fell asleep as soon as his head hit the cushion.

And now it was morning, and time for some breakfast. Depending on what the scouts had discovered, the Senju would either return home, or there would be some discussion how to proceed with the threat.

“-kasan?”

“Yes, Kagami? Have you slept well?”

“Hm. ‘ungry.” Kagami mumbled into Tobirama’s side, only half awake.

“Barely awake and already hungry.” Tobirama chuckled while letting his hand glide through Kagami’s hair. “Shall we get up and see if someone started breakfast already?”

“No, want to cuddle more.” Kagami mumbled and pressed himself more into his mother. On his other side, Hashirama let out a giggle before heaving himself up on one elbow.

“Morning you two. How does it sound if I go and see if someone is already up and preparing some food?”

“As much as I’d like to, I fear I have to get up anyway, because I need to relieve myself. The little one is pressing on my bladder again.” Tobirama said with a wince.

“Oh, then we better get up.” Hashirama helped Tobirama on his feet while Kagami disgruntled sat on the futon, rubbing his eyes.

Tobirama smiled fondly at him and said, “Sorry, Kagami. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but I can barely hold on. And I don’t want to wet myself.” Kagami blinked, processing what he heard, before he clapped both his hands over his mouth.

“You think it’s funny, eh.” Kagami shook his head in a rapid motion. Tobirama shook his own head in fondness while Hashirama put a Haori over Tobirama’s shoulders. There was no time to change clothes.

“If you have no need to relieve yourself, then go and wake up whoever can give you some food. We are only guests, and I don’t know if there is any food in the house.” Tobirama ruffled Kagami’s hair and then left with quick steps. Luckily, they knew the way to the latrine behind the house, and it took them only half a minute to get there.

When they returned, they met a half-naked and tired-looking Madara, who was standing at his door. Tobirama blushed at the sight. Madara was only wearing pants that sat low on his hips. His upper body was completely free from any clothes and allowed a free view of his well-formed abs, muscled chest and brought shoulders.

Tobirama’s omega preened inside his head, very pleased that this alpha was theirs. ‘Mine’ he heard his omega whisper. And something else happened, that never happened before. Tobirama felt slick building between his legs it was dangerous close to pour out from his entrance.

It was a strange feeling, and it let him slightly shift on his feet. He needed to get back his composure before someone noticed, because even if it hasn’t happened before to him he knew what it meant. He was aroused. And everyone would know the moment they caught the scent of it. How embarrassing.

So, without saying anything Tobirama snapped the shoji open with more force as intended, slipped into the guestroom, and closed it before Hashirama or someone else had the chance to follow him.

Everyone else looked stunned, until Madara became aware of his half-naked state and vanished back in his own room, leaving a confused Hashirama and Kagami behind.

----

“What happened, Uncle Hashirama?”

“Uhm. I’m not exactly sure, Kagami-kun. Maybe you can show me the kitchen? We can wait there until Madara or someone else comes.”

“Misaki-nee is in the kitchen. I saw her when I slipped into Mada-nii’s room.”

“And you still woke him up?” Hashirama grinned sheepish.

“Mada-nii makes best breakfast. Kaasan deserves best.” Kagami proclaimed with a puffed-out chest.

“Ho? Madara is a cook? I haven’t known that. Interesting. I’m curious if your mother will like Madara’s cooking. Because you’re right, Tobi deserves the best.”

“Can kaasan cook?”

“Let’s say, he manages when needed, but usually it’s either me or Touka who cook. I learned it from our mother, you know. Unfortunately, Tobirama was tasked with other stuff, so he couldn’t learn from her.” Hashirama’s smile turned gloomy, and so he changed the topic.

“How is your training going, Kagami? Could you improve your chakra control?”

“Yes.” Kagami smiled brightly. “I can stick to the wall much longer now, and I finally managed to climb the big tree.”

“Big tree?”

“He means the one Izuna uses or used to train Kagami. It’s the one in our back garden. Close to the koi pond. Good morning, Hashirama-sama, Kagami-kun.” Misaki greeted them when they arrived in the kitchen.

“Used?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t say anything further, and Hashirama could only guess that Izuna stopped training Kagami. Madara had mentioned how distant Izuna had become, and it wouldn’t surprise him if that included Kagami as well.

“Do you want some tea?”

“Yes, please.”

“Any special wishes? We have Ginger, green tea, black tea, peppermint tea and I think something brother brought back from the Land of Water. I forgot the name.”

“Some Ginger tea would be nice, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Hashirama watched Misaki prepare the tea while also listening to Kagami, who continued explaining his training improvements. Nothing truly new, because of the weekly updates they had received before they headed to the Daimyo’s court. Still, Hashirama was impressed. Kagami was a quick learner, and it reminded him of Tobirama. He had no doubt that Kagami will be one of the strongest Shinobi in the future.

Ten minutes later, they were joined by Madara and Izuya, the former heading directly to the stove while the latter sat down next to Misaki where his tea was already waiting for him.

“Good morning. Where is Tobirama-san? Is he still sleeping?” Izuya greeted.

“No. Though, I might go looking if he doesn’t join in the next five minutes.”

“Has something happened? You’re still in your sleep clothes, right?” Hashirama flushed and rubbed his cheek with a finger.

“I don’t know. We came back from the latrine and met Madara when he was just leaving his room. The next second Tobirama vanished in our room and well he closed it before I could follow him. It’s more than enough for me to know he needed some alone time. I guess it was one of his mood swings. You know, because of the pregnancy and all.” Misaki and Izuya had turned their heads to look at their brother when Hashirama mentioned him, but Madara didn’t show any reaction. Though Misaki thought she saw his cheeks turning slightly red.

“What did you do Nii-san?”

“Nothing.” Madara almost blurted and both siblings were sure it was a lie.

“Kagami, what did he do?” Kagami looked up and took on a thoughtful expression with a finger on his lip.

Then he shrugged, “Don’t know. I woke him up, because I’m hungry and because kaasan told me. Well, he didn’t say whom to wake up, but Mada-nii is the best cook, and…”

“Yes, yes. Your mother deserves the best. What else?”

“Misaki.” There was a growled warning coming from Madara’s direction, but they ignored it, or more like it encouraged them to find out what happened. So, she motioned at Kagami to continue.

“Nothing? Not really? I mean, he was half asleep and forgot to put on his Yukata. But it wasn’t like he was naked, so I don’t know why mother turned red when he saw him. And then he vanished.”

There was a moment of silence before Izuya and Misaki started to laugh while Hashirama only let out a quiet ‘Oh’, before starting laughing too.

Madara turned crimson and yelled, “Shut up.” However, again he was ignored. It was only when Tobirama appeared in the doorway that they finally stopped. Kagami was quick to banish his seat and to run to his mother.

“Kaasan. What took you so long?”

“Sorry, Kagami. It takes me a little longer to change clothes. The belly makes it harder to move you know.” It was a lie. His belly wasn’t anything close to the size of what an eight month’s belly should look like, but he could hardly tell the truth. Firstly, because Kagami was far too young to understand and secondly because he was far too embarrassed to explain it to everyone in the room. Though from how his brother looked at him, they already knew anyway.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Hashirama, go and change. We are not at home. Show some dignity.” Tobirama scolded.

“Yeah, well. Wouldn’t it have been because of a certain someone locking himself in our shared room then I’d have changed already.” Hashirama replied sheepishly before standing up and leaving to change.

Tobirama gritted his teeth, knowing his brother had been right. Instead, he looked at Kagami, who still wore his sleeping clothes as well. He looked at Madara and the already finished food and got a little uncertain. He didn’t want to seem rude by letting their host wait for him to return with Kagami, but like as he could read his thoughts, Madara said, “Don’t worry, Tobirama. I’ll need some more minutes to finish, plenty of time to help Kagami change his clothes as well.”

“Ah, thank you. Come on, Kagami. Let’s hurry.” Kagami eagerly took Tobirama’s offered hand, and together they returned to the room where Hashirama was just closing his black Shinobi pants, though he looked up when he heard the shoji opening.

“Did you forget something?”

“No, but Kagami here needs a change of clothes as well.” Tobirama replied and went over where Sango-san had shown him to find a set of clothes for Kagami to wear. He took it and walked to the futon where he sat down with his legs crossed and motioned for Kagami to join him.

“Come here, Kagami.” Kagami eagerly followed his mother’s command, and didn’t protest when Tobirama started to take off his clothes. They both knew Kagami could do it alone, but after being separated for so long and with the prospect of the Senju leaving soon again, neither of them cared.

Meanwhile Hashirama used the time to finish up himself and then do his routine check on Tobirama’s unborn. For this he settled behind his baby brother, unwrapped the Obi that held Tobirama’s Yukata close and put a green glowing hand on the exposed swollen belly, his eyes closed and head on Tobirama’s shoulder.

When Kagami noticed, he couldn’t stop staring at the hand on his mother’s belly, letting Tobirama manhandle him however needed to get the clothes on as long as he could watch. He even ignored his mother’s snicker.

It was only when the green glow and hand vanished that Kagami himself reached out like in trance and put his hand on the exposed belly. It hadn’t been there when he last saw his mother, and he was sad that he might not see him until much later, after the baby was born. Therefore, fascinated as a five year could be, Kagami let his hand wander, just to squeal back when he felt a sudden movement under his hand. Wide-eyed, Kagami looked up at his smiling mother.

“What…Was that the baby?”

“Yes, Kagami. They are big enough now to move and to be felt from the outside. If you look closely you can even see where the baby is stretching out their limbs.” Kagami snapped his eyes back to the belly and watched intensely. It was maybe around half a minute later when Kagami gasped and pointed at a spot near Tobirama’s navel.

“There.” He yelled in delight and even touched the spot to push slightly back, just to startle when the shoji was suddenly pushed open by a half-panicky-looking Madara.

“Kagami.”

“Y-yes?”

“Why is your Sharingan active?”

“I…what?”

“It’s alright. Calm down, Kagami. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths. No harm has been done. You were just eager to see your little sibling moving. Nothing is wrong with that.” Tobirama cooed and pulled Kagami into a warm hug. As he felt Kagami calming down, his gaze wandered to Madara, who’s own Sharingan was active and settled on Tobirama’s exposed belly.

“Really, Madara?” He couldn’t stop snapping at the adult, who had just barged in to reprimand Kagami when he couldn’t control himself.

“S-sorry. I-I’m not mad. It’s just. I had blocked Kagami’s Sharingan. He shouldn’t be able to activate it. He’s too young and lacks the needed control.”

“Like you?” Tobirama scoffed. Madara flushed but tried to get himself under control. Like Kagami he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening his eyes again, now back to its usual onyx black.

“Again, I’m sorry.” Madara rubbed his cheek and did his best not to look at Tobirama and his still exposed belly. Instead, he focused his gaze on Hashirama, who stood behind his brother with a kunai in hand, having relaxed his stand when he realized who was coming in. “Uhm, anyway, breakfast is ready, so if you’re done here, then, uhm, please join us.”

“Thank you. We will join in a minute.” Madara nodded and closed the shoji after a last glance at Tobirama and where his child was growing under his skin.

Tobirama sighed when the shoji was closed again and looked down at Kagami who had tears running down his cheeks.

“My little firecracker. Everything is fine. Don’t be upset. You did nothing wrong.”

“But, but I c-could…harm…b-baby.”

“No. Listen to me, Kagami.” Tobirama pushed Kagami slightly away, so he could look him into the eyes. “Look at me.” Kagami rubbed his eyes before meeting his mother’s eyes. “You love your sibling, right.”, Kagami nodded, “See, therefore I know you will never harm them. Even if you lack control of your Sharingan, you will never use it to harm your sibling. Your unconsciousness won’t allow it. You were just eager to see them moving, and I know the Sharingan helps to sharpen your vision. That’s all.”

“B-but…”

“There is no but, Kagami.” Tobirama moved his hands to cover Kagami’s cheeks and removed the tears with his thumbs. “Don’t fear your abilities. Learn to control them. Use them. You will need them to protect yourself and your sibling.”

“A-and you. I’ll pro-protect you.”

“I’m sure you will.” Tobirama smiled and pulled Kagami closer for a kiss on the forehead. “Now come. Time for breakfast.” Tobirama let go of Kagami to get up, though he needed some help from Hashirama.

Kagami watched his mother, and his eyes landed back on the still exposed belly when it passed his vision. Tobirama noticed and took Kagami’s hand to place it where he felt the unborn moving.

Immediately, a smile reappeared on Kagami’s face, and he couldn’t stop leaning forward and rubbing his little head against the hard swelling.

“Hello there. I’m your big brother, Kagami. I love you. I promise I’ll become strong. I’ll protect you and kaasan.” It was like the little one heard him and showed his agreement with another push against Kagami’s hand. The little boy smiled proudly, as did the two adults.

Chapter Text

“There are at least thirty. Maybe even more, but our scouts couldn’t get closer without risking being spotted.”

“Are they all at the same location?”

“Not directly. They are spread out at the border, but not far enough away from each other either. It won’t take longer than a few minutes for them to regroup.”

“Did they check the other borders?”

“Only the one where you planned for the Senju to cross border to their own land. They couldn’t detect anything suspicious there, so it should be safe.”

“Hm. What do you think, Hashirama?” Madara turned his gaze from Hikaku, who sat across from him to the Senju clan head sitting next to him. They were in Madara’s office, discussing what the scouts reported to Hikaku after their return. They had decided to order the guards to inform Hikaku instead of Madara should the scouts return during the night, and only to wake Madara and Hashirama should they be needed.

So, only when breakfast was finished, Madara led Hashirama to his office, followed by Hikaku and Sango. Tobirama didn’t join and instead was led to the koi pond by Tajima and Kagami, the latter also eager to show his mother his improvement in chakra control.

The twins had headed to the healer hall to check on their patients and to share what they learned in the capital. Izuna hadn’t joined breakfast at all and instead had joined one of the patrols.

“It’s a very big group. And I’m truly shocked to be honest. I never heard of something like this happening. Slavers, bloodline thieves or whatever other shady people, they normally operate in small groups. They lay low and wait for the perfect moment to reach their targets. This…this is madness. It’s like fighting against another clan, except that we fight not for land or resources but over one single person.”

“A person that carries the Senju and Uchiha heir, Hashirama-sama. And is currently your heir as well.” Hikaku said.

“Yes, maybe. But is it enough to go to such an extent? An heir is replaceable. I mean, look at you for example. Izuna has been heir before you but lost the position. And you won’t lose the position until Madara declares his child or someone else as his heir. If Tobirama asked me to name someone else heir, then I could still choose Touka, our cousin, to take the position. Or it will be one of my own children should I ever have any. And even if our bloodline dies out then there are others in the clan who can take in the position.”

“You forget the blood that runs through Tobirama and the unborn. He’s your brother, and any child of his has the chance to be born with the Mokuton even if he is a suiton user. The unborn is of Madara’s blood, the strongest among us Uchiha and the first to activate the Mangekyō Sharingan in centuries.”

“Not to mention, he's a rare male Omega, and a really strong one at that." Madara added and glanced at Hashirama. “In addition, he’s a very strong sensor. I’m not sure how far his reach is, but from what I gathered it’s far larger than the typical range a natural sensor can reach, which can be around 3 or 4 miles. Correct me when I’m wrong, Hashirama.”

Hashirama looked at Madara for a few seconds, before he sighed in resignation, “You’re not wrong. If he wants, Tobirama can feel the entirety of Hi no Kuni. If he concentrates on one direction he even can reach far across the border.”

The room was silent for almost an entire minute.

“You’re kidding.” Madara spluttered.

Hashirama shook his head, “No. It’s the truth. It’s also reason why he’s such an immense chakra control. He needs his senses for orientation, because of his bad eyesight and Butsuma refusing to buy glasses. He was often sick when he was young, not only because of the weak body he was born with but also due to the overwhelming input form other’s feelings and chakra outbursts.”

“Wait a second. When he uses his sensor abilities to orientate himself, why is he wearing glasses?” Sango asked confused. She had been back from her mission for a few days already and with the confirmation that Tobirama wasn’t Haro’s only victim. But it wasn’t the time to take care of him.

Hashirama and Madara exchanged glances. They already revealed things they hadn’t planned to, but this…this wasn’t something what should be spread lightly. However, Madara trusted Sango, and wanted her to be involved more. And she already knew most of the things anyway.

Hashirama gave a slight nod, indicating to Madara that he had permission to explain Tobirama’s condition. “Tobirama’s chakra level is too low. Therefore, he’s forbidden to use it. Otherwise, it might kill the unborn or both of them if his chakra drops even more.”

“Shit. I guess it’s because of his injuries?”

“Partly yes. But it’s also the baby. It’s feeding from his chakra to build up its own to survive. Something completely normal as you know and what wouldn’t normally matter.”

“Right. But with his low chakra level its different.”

“Precisely.”

“I see.”

There was another pause everyone used to gather their thoughts. Then Hikaku asked, “What do we want to do? Do we let them sit there in the hope they will give up when they realize they prey somehow outsmarted them or will we use it to our advantage?”

“Advantage?” Hashirama asked, while a menacing grin spread on Madara’s face.

“What an excellent idea.”

“What?”

“Hashirama, think about it. They are sitting like ducks on a rock ready to be shot. We can use it indeed to our advantage. Let us wipe them out.”

“Wait, what?” Hashirama’s eyes were wide at the suggestion.

“Think about it. We could send a message to your clan and inform them about the trap. We can join our forces and wipe out the trash before they scatter again and come back with even more people or become a problem later someday. See it as the first joined mission between our clans. If things work out, it will even convince more people peace is possible.”

“I don’t know. What’s something goes wrong?”

“What. Do you fear your cousin might refuse to fight together with us against an enemy that threatens her younger cousin?”

“Oh no. That’s not what I’m fearing. Touka will move heaven and hell to protect Tobi. But don’t you think it’s too early? What if an Uchiha gets hurt and someone blames a Senju who wasn’t at fault at all, or the other way around. You know how fast a battle can get out of control and become confusing. I’m not delusional enough to think everyone joining the fight will survive. And it might be just one single misunderstanding to be needed to destroy any hope of peace.”

Madara looked stunned at his friend. He thought Hashirama would be eager for their clans to work together, but he had to admit, Hashirama had a point. Even if most agreed to give peace a chance, so was it still something else to work together with those having killed your friends, siblings or parents.

“You both aren’t wrong. We should use our advantage to attack them. But we should do it in a way both our clans feel comfortable with. The scouts mentioned that the group is splintered. Let us attack them from two separate sides then. It will confuse those in the middle, because they won’t know which side needs more help.” Sango suggested.

“We could also attack with a mixed-up squad, joined by those willing fighting with Uchiha and or Senju, like us for example.” Hikaku added.

“Sounds okay for me.” Madara agreed and looked at Hashirama again.

“Sounds good for me as well, but what about Tobirama. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel comfortable with leaving him behind when everyone else is gone whom I trust. And I can hardly drag him to a battlefield either, where our enemies are just waiting to pick him up.”

“And what if I leave some of my summons behind with him, to guard him? You met already Fuku-hime.”

“The little black cat?”

“Yes. Don’t underestimate her because of her size. She knows very well how to defend herself and others. However, I wouldn’t summon her alone. And her mother is much bigger.”

“Her mother. That reminds me. Fuku-hime mentioned her mother is, was?, the daughter of the leader of my own mother’s summons. Do you know something about it?”

“No.” Madara bit on his lower lip. “But, it might explain why Yuki-hime doesn’t look like an ordinary over-sized house cat like her partner.”

“Uhm, do you mind asking them? We never met mom’s summons, at least not that I can remember. Neither do we know their names.”

“Should we request Tobirama to join us? The whole thing also affects him after all.” Sango asked.

“We should. And we can ask about his opinion of our plan to fight the trash. He’s the best strategist the Senju clan has after all.” Hashirama agreed proudly.

“Why haven’t he joined us in the first place?” Madara mumbled.

“Because he wants to spend as much time with Kagami as possible.” Sango replied thoughtfully. “Maybe we should consider letting Kagami go with him. Back to the Senju, I mean. I love him, but I can see how much the separation affects him. And I can see how much Tobirama cares about him. He loves him.”

“Are you sure? You know what it might mean if our clans…”

“I know, but at this point I think it doesn’t matter. Kagami will never fight against the clan his mother is living with, nor will he fight against us. And, I’m some kind of certain that Tobirama-san would rather send Kagami back to us than risk him getting hurt by his own clan. Furthermore, I think it’s best if we consider planning any peace talks taking place on Senju land. I know very much how unusual it is, but you need to think about this unknown threat. It’s after Tobirama as well, might even have something to do with Yashiro’s and Hjouske’s betrayal, even if I doubt it. But we can’t be certain. And one thing is clear, someone saved Tobirama after Haro raped him, the same someone that probably managed to manipulate you and Tobirama to sleep with each other and to block your memory. And this the same someone could still be waiting for the perfect moment to get to him while we are sitting somewhere far away and unable to stop it.”

“She’s right, Madara.”

“I know, Hashirama.”

“Uhm. Maybe we should concentrate on one thing after another.” Hikaku cut in, before they would drift further away from the actual topic.

Madara sighed, “Hikaku is right as well. Why don’t we start by calling Tobirama and see what he thinks about our plan. Depending on what he has to say, we can move to the next needed step.” The other three nodded, and it was Sango who slipped out to pick Tobirama up.

----

“Hm. I think it’s a quiet good idea. We can send message to Touka to head out with six of our squads and to attack our enemy here.” Tobirama pointed at a spot on the map and then moved his finger along the line that marked the Senju border in the north until he stopped at a point where the scouts mentioned seeing the last members of the group. “Meanwhile, the Uchiha come from this side. They won’t know what hit them until it’s too late. Both sides will be unaware of being attacked at the same time, so there will either call for back up from the closet post or they will automatically move to the other groups to lure us to them. Those in the middle will also either split up or ready themselves against the two-side attack. It will depend on how far apart they actually are to each other. Therefore, I’d wait and observe what they will do before we send our third group into the mix. If they split, we can also split up our third group and attack both reinforcements from behind. If they stay together, then our group do the same and start a frontal attack. Or better yet, we split our third group up before and are ready to attack them from two sides as well. Our enemy would be completely surrounded and have less chance to flee.”

“And how many people do you suggest each of our groups should have.”

“Our scouts counted at least thirty people. If we want to be certain then we should expect twice the number to be there, even if I doubt it to be so many. But, we don’t know the number of Shinobi within them nor how strong they are. Alone those two fighting you and Hashirama a few months back can count for at least a little army. If there are even more of those types then we can get in serious trouble. Therefore, I suggest you take as many with you as you can without risking leaving the compound completely exposed.”

“What if you use seals like we do at home?” Hashirama asked, but Tobirama shook his head.

“No time for that.”

“What seals?” Madara asked.

“Protection seals. If activated they form a barrier that won’t allow anyone to leave or enter as long as their chakra isn’t infused into the seals.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Not in the slightest. And now that I reminded myself of it, we can message Touka to lead all our squads to the border. She knows how to activate the barrier.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, Anija. Without a seal master, which I doubt they have, no one will be able to take down the barrier. And don’t forget your Mokuton. You can feel intruders as soon as they cross our borders. And even if you’re not physical there you will still be able to take them down as long as you’re able to concentrate on them. I, therefore, suggest you and Madara stay together. Madara is strong enough to keep your back clean from any enemies while you’re occupied.”

“But our group will be split. How can we stay together?”

“Who says it must be you two who lead. Let Hikaku and Sango take care of a group. You two can take on the strongest of the Shinobis together. It won’t just save your energy, but also time. The faster you kill them the faster the fight will end. Or, well, try to take some prisoners if you can.”

“Bossy.” Sango whispered from somewhere behind Madara and received a prompt glaring from him over the shoulder. “What? I like it. He’s very efficient.” Madara gave her a sharp smile that was meant as a reminder that Tobirama was his. She might be his cousin and part of his pack, but Sango was still an unmated alpha.

Sango straightened her back automatically and exposed her neck as a sign of submission. She surely wasn’t interested in fighting Madara, knowing she would be a pile of ashes in seconds.

Satisfied with the display, Madara focused back on the albino, who was staring at him and Sango with a frown, having noticed the strange exchange, though not knowing what it was about.

Madara ignored it and instead asked, “Now that we sorted this out, what about you. Hashirama isn’t feeling comfortable leaving you behind but taking you with us is also out of the question. And letting you return to the Senju compound on your own or with only two elders as bodyguards doesn’t make it better.”

“Well, returning to the compound will be impossible for me anyway. With the barrier up, I can’t enter. And before you asked, the answer is no. Not everyone whose chakra is infused into the network of the barrier is able to invite someone without permission. Only Hashirama is able to, and me, after I included myself into the network.”

“I…see. Would be probably meaningless to have such barrier if everyone can invite or infuse someone’s chakra into the seals.”

“Indeed. But those seals are also our solution to our problem. I can easily create a few within minutes to seal up a small area. I won't be able to leave it, but no one else will be able to enter it either.”

“You mean like locking you up? We can’t do that. You aren’t a prisoner.” Madara protested immediately.

“If you have another idea, then spill it. We don’t have time all day.” Tobirama snapped right back. “And you…”, Tobirama pointed at Hashirama, “…you better start writing. It will take at least another day before an attack will happen. And I’m not sure what I prefer more, that our enemy realized we slipped away from their trap and vanished or they being still waiting. Let's not fool ourselves. This won't be a walk in the park. More like another bloodbath if we wait too long. So, hush hush.” Tobirama didn’t wait for an answer and directed his attention on Sango.

“I’m sorry if asked too much, but would it be okay if I use your house for imprison myself in it. I wouldn’t want to trap Tajima inside or to keep the twins outside. Not to forget Izuna. If he returns and finds himself unable to enter his own home, who knows what tantrum he will cause. I better not risking increasing his hate against myself or my clan.”

“Uhm, sure. What about Kagami?”

“He has enough control of his chakra to include him into the barrier. So, he will be able to enter and re-enter as he likes. The same we can do for the twins. Tajima is not allowed to use his chakra, so he will be the exception like everyone else. Madara and Hashirama will also be the only ones who can activate and deactivate the seals. But, you don’t have to worry, the barrier will fall in case both die, which I doubt will happen, otherwise I will bring them back and kill them myself again.” The last part was more a whispered growl, but it let a shudder run down their spines.

“He can’t actually revive people, can he?” Madara lowly asked Hashirama. Hashirama flinched at the question which was answer enough for Madara to glance at him incredulously.

“Seriously? I better not ask how he managed to figure out something like this or why.”

“No, better not.” Hashirama whispered. “Uhm, can you give me some paper and a pen, please? I better start writing that letter or otouto will kick my ass.”

“Are you scared?”

“Oh, Madara. You have no idea.” Hashirama laughed.

----

The next morning, Tobirama sat on the engawa from Sango’s and Hikaku’s home and watched Kagami warming up for training. Time to teach Kagami some jutsus.

Chapter Text

Hashirama and Madara carefully observed their opponents a few feet away. Those dumbasses were facing the opposite direction, waiting for their target to arrive or to hear from the other groups if they have spotted them.

Behind them, their own squad was hidden in the trees, ready to attack on their signal. But it wasn’t time yet.

Instead, they used the time to identify who the biggest threats were. There were a few Shinobi, but no one seemed extraordinary. Not like the two that have fought first Hashirama and then Madara some months ago.

Madara played with the thought of going searching for them. If they were among one of the groups more on the sidelines then it could end disastrous for their own people. Something which he would like to prevent at all costs.

The easiest way to find them would be to use his sensor abilities, but unfortunately he wasn’t the kind of sensor who could identify certain people due to their chakra. Only the number of how many there are and where.

Several more minutes passed before he thought about it, but the decision was taken by him when suddenly two figures appeared among the others, loudly complaining how boring it was.

Madara and Hashirama exchanged a short glance and nodded in agreement. Those two would be theirs.

With a glance up at the sun, Madara also determined it was almost time for the attack. He spread his senses out in all three directions and felt everyone being in position.

They had decided for Hashirama to perform the first strike against all at once. With his Mokuton and special connection to the earth, he can easily determine where each of their opponents were. And without being distracted in a fight and without anyone moving it would be easy to take a lot of them down, especially in a surprise attack.

Hashirama wasn’t truly happy with his role but reminded himself of who the opponent was and why they were here. And if it means becoming a mass murderer to protect his beloved brother, then so be it.

He readied himself for the strike. He closed his eyes and let his connection to the earth spread. And then he attacked.

Screams of pain and shock echoed through the forest. Madara felt dozens of chakra signatures disappear at once while he jumped into action.

With a huge fire ball, he went directly after the two brothers, who could avoid being impaled by the vines. Hashirama was close behind him.

----

In the Uchiha compound, Tobirama sat on the engawa joined by Tajima and Izuya. Misaki was still in the healing hall, helping to prepare for the possible injured who might soon arrive.

“Okay, Kagami. I know your chakra nature is that of fire, but there are a few jutsus that are independent of your nature. You already managed to walk up a tree. Now I want you to try to walk over water.”

“But I thought you will teach me some really fun jutsu. Like creating a fire ball.”

“Ah. That comes later. And it will be Tajima and Izuya who will show you. It’s an Uchiha technique. And therefore, it should be an Uchiha teaching you it.”

“You can’t throw a fire ball?”

“I could, but it won’t be very impressive, I fear.” Tajima and Izuya cast an incredulous look at Tobirama.

“You learned one of our techniques?”

“Well, more like out of curiosity if I could, not necessarily to use it in a fight. As I said, it’s not very impressive. More like a spark in comparison to what Izuna or Madara can produce.”

“Still, you taught yourself just by watching us?”

“Yes?”

“Impressive. If you don’t mind then I’d like to see it when you fully have recovered.” Tajima requested.

Tobirama shrugged, “If that’s ok for you. It’s your technique.”

“It’s fine.”

Next to Tajima, Izuya muttered under his breath, “Kami, Madara will be all over the moon if he weren’t already. What a lucky guy.” Tajima smiled while also elbowing Izuya into the side.

Meanwhile Tobirama hadn’t heard him, because Kagami was yelling excited at the same time while hugging Tobirama, “Kaasan. You’re a-ama-amazing. I want to see it too. Please, please.”

“Of course, but later. After your sibling is born.”

“Uuuh, but it’s so long.” Kagami pouted, looking up at his mother.

“Only two more months. Maybe three until I’m fully recovered. The perfect way to learn some patience, little one.” Tobirama gave a nudge to Kagami’s nose and then shoved him in the direction of the koi pond. “Now up you go. I want to see if you can walk over the water.”

“Yes, kaasan.”

Izuya followed, just in case, because Tobirama himself couldn’t leave the engawa or house due to the seals.

Carefully, Kagami put one foot on the water. When it wasn’t sinking the other foot followed. Just as he thought he had it, he lost control and fell into the pond. Immediately, Izuya was there to pull him out.

“You okay?”

“F-fine.”

“You sure? Maybe we should wait until it’s a little warmer.”

“N-no. I’m fine. It’s not so bad.”

“Okay, but if I see a hint of blue, we stop.”

Kagami didn’t response. Instead, he tried again, just to fall right back in.

When he was out, Tobirama exclaimed, “Kagami. Remember to provide chakra to your feet constantly. Also, water isn’t a hard surface like a tree. It’s constantly moving, even if it doesn’t look like it. Set one foot onto the surface and feel it. You will know what I mean.” Kagami did as he was told and put his bare foot back on the water. He closed his eyes, and concentrated.

For almost five minutes he stood like that, taking in the sensation of the water under his foot. At first, he didn’t truly understand what his mother meant, because the water wasn’t truly feeling like it was moving, but then he felt a little disturbance. He opened his eyes and saw a fish passing where his foot was that was now under the water instead of above it.

“You have to move with the water. It’s hard to describe, but when it moves upwards you need to move upwards as well. Don’t fight against it. Adjust your chakra according to the water movement. It’s a constant change, because as I said, water isn’t like a tree.”

“Yes, kaasan.”

It took Kagami five more times until he finally managed to keep himself uptight on the pond’s surface.

“You’re doing great, Kagami.” Tobirama praised. “Let us increase the difficulty level a little. Izuya, if you will, please.”

“Of course.” Izuya sat on the edge of the pond and put both his legs into the water. Then he started to produce some minor waves by slowly moving them up and down.

Kagami tried to follow the movement but lost his control early enough and flopped back into the water. This time when he was pulled out, his lips were blue while his teeth were chattering from the cold.

“That’s enough for today. Let’s stop before you catch a cold.”

“B-b-but. I-I’m n-not d-done y-yet.”

“Listen to your uncle, Kagami. For today it’s enough. You did great.” Izuya looked slightly confused at his new title. Kagami normally called him Izuya-nii as a term of being his big brother. But he guessed with Kagami being Tobirama’s son now and later becoming also the son of Madara, it was probably the proper term to use from now on. Otherwise, it could get really confusing.

Just imagine a family introduction to someone who has no idea of their relations. ‘Oh hey, let me introduce. This is my oldest brother Madara. And though he’s my cousin, I consider little Kagami here as my youngest brother. He’s also the adopted son of Madara, who he had called older brother for years, but who got married to Tobirama, who has been adopted by Kagami as his new mother long before the marriage, and who I’m considering as a little brother myself.’ Yeah, weird, and very complicated.

Kagami seemed a little confused himself when being confronted with the new title. He was frowning while Tobirama dried him with a towel, and he cast some uncertain gazes between his mother and Izuya.

“Izuya-oji? Not Izuya-nii?”

“Well, you can call him whatever you want, of course, but you might have to consider that in a couple of years Madara, and I will mate. Which means Madara will become your father. That means further that Izuya and Izuna will also become official your uncles like my own brother already is, and that Misaki will be your aunt.”

“You mean like Hikaku-oji and Sango-oba?”

“Yes.”

“And Mada-nii will be my new oyaji?”

“Well, if you accept him like one. I won’t force you to call him Otousan if you see him more like an older brother. But he’s the father of your little sibling, therefore your brother or sister will call him as such.”

Kagami thought about it while Tobirama wrapped him into a thick and warm blanket. Then he looked up, his eyes radiating uncertainty, “What if…what if I don’t…Can I…Will it change…?” Kagami didn’t dare to finish any of his questions, much too afraid of the answers.

However, Tobirama seemed exactly to know what Kagami was worried about and replied anyway after pulling Kagami onto his lap and against his chest.

“You don’t need to worry, little one. You have at least a couple of years to decide. And even after neither I nor Madara will be upset if you continue calling him Mada-nii or just Madara. If you prefer you can also continue calling Izuya your nii-san. It doesn’t truly matter.”

“Mhm. ‘kay.”

“Hey. Can we keep it a secret that you actually learned one of our clan techniques? Because I want to see Madara’s face when he sees it.” Izuya said after he returned with a tray of hot tea.”

“Is it really so important? I don’t want to offend anyone.”

“You won’t. As Madara’s mate, more the opposite will be the case. They will approve, because it means you’re able to teach the children our techniques even if you’re a water user. Furthermore, and this is something you might be uncomfortable with, is that people will more and more believe you’re someone send by Amaterasu.”

“How interesting that the former clan head speaks about a blessed child of Amaterasu without asking the priestess of our goddess first. Or how our current clan head brings someone into our compound that looks like Amaterasu-sama without a visit to our temple.”

Four heads turned to the sudden voice of a woman, who was just stepping into view from the side of the house.

“M-Moriko-sama.” Tajima jumped from his seat as did Izuya, both bowing deeply to the priestess. Tobirama realizing who she was, wanted to stand as well, but the young woman, waved him off.

“Sit. Those morons are much too formal. We’re not in the temple.”

“Moriko-sama. Outside or not, you’re still our priestess.”

“Boring. Now sit down, before I kick you.”

As the priestess stepped closer, she received a short warning from Tajima.

“There is a seal.”

“I know. A very powerful one. Why do you think I had come this way instead of knocking.”

Tajima turned bright red. “Eh, sorry.”

“Tsk. If we’re done, then let me see our visitor.” She stopped right in front of Tobirama with the barrier between them.

“You resemble our goddess quite well. I can see why people think you might be a true blessed by her. However, something like Amaterasu’s blessed doesn’t exist. At least not in the way people think.” Tobirama raised an eyebrow while Tajima and Izuya frowned.

“What do you mean?” Tajima asked.

“Well, I mean he isn’t a god we have to start to worship just because he looks like our goddess.”

“Oh. Don’t tell me.”

“Yes. I had a few visitors.” She titled her head and looked at Tobirama’s face, taking in the red markings and eyes. “And I understand their confusion. But I wouldn’t call you a god, maybe more like a sign from our goddess. For what, I’m not sure though.”

“A sign. To end our conflict?” Izuya asked.

“The conflict would have already ended if dear Madara-kun wouldn’t have listened to his brother and instead followed his heart, which he still did before we ever knew how Tobirama-kun looked like. No, I think it’s something else.”

“Tobirama is Madara’s life mate and when they locked eyes, Madara’s Sharingan developed to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.” Now it was for Moriko to widen her eyes.

“Interesting. This only happened once. Truly interesting. And worrying.” She mumbled in the end. “I’ll return to the temple, and I want you…”, she pointed at Tobirama, “…to give it a visit before you leave.”

“Uhm, sure.”

“Good. Now you have to excuse me. I need a talk with Amaterasu-sama.”

They watched the priestess go and when she was out of sight, Tobirama turned his head to Tajima.

“She can’t truly talk with a god, right? They’re nonexistent.”

“Well, for you they might be just some myths, but for us they’re very much real, just not living on our plane of existence if you know what I mean.”

“You mean a place like the pure lands? Where our souls are meant to go after we die.”

“Maybe.” Tajima shrugged. “But like the pure lands we don’t have access to it, maybe will never have even after we die. A realm just for them.”

“Hm, I see.” For a short moment, Tobirama’s mind went to his jutsu Edo Tensei. If you could reach out for souls that already left for the pure lands, maybe he could also reach out to the realm meant for gods and goddesses? He shook his head. He better not think about it. It was one think to control a soul of a mortal, which was bad enough, but that of a god would be much worse. Because he doubted that it was possible. And he truly had no intention to summon an upset god.

Chapter Text

They’d returned late in the evening. Tobirama stood at the entrance to the house, still behind the barrier and patiently waiting for Hashirama or Madara to come his way, but so far he couldn’t see either of them. Maybe they were among the first to enter, helping those being injured in the healing halls or they will be the last, making sure no one is left behind.

What he didn’t expect was a young Uchiha running in his direction with a face that immediately put him on edge.

However, the boy didn’t stop and just passed Tobirama, running straight to the main house. It didn’t help Tobirama’s rising anxiety a bit, when the boy called Tajima and Izuna, who had returned sometime within the day.

Tajima had shortly left after the priestess had shown up. Izuya also left to join his sister in the healing halls. Kagami, of course, stayed with his mother. Together they enjoyed a book of some child stories, which Kagami was loudly reading from. Here and there Tobirama needed to help him to get the Kanji correct, but he was still quite proud how good Kagami was at his age.

Kagami had fallen asleep a while later after dinner, and shortly before voices exclaimed the return of the squads. Tobirama waited for a short moment to see if Kagami would wake up, but the little one was fast asleep and so Tobirama had headed to the front door, where he watched from afar how people embraced their loved ones or how others helped the injured to the healing halls.

Now he was watching Tajima and Izuna running to the halls as well, which made him dizzy. Did something happen? Has Madara been injured, or Hashirama? Both of them? What if one of them was badly hurt and dying? No, no. Tobirama couldn’t think of something like this. Hashirama was the strongest and Madara the second strongest, maybe they were equals. Anyway, they both are incredibly strong. Tobirama couldn’t imagine one of them getting hurt by a bunch of dirty slavers. Still, what if they may have run into a trap?

Tobirama felt even more dizzy. His breath was starting to speed up. He needed to calm down, but his mind was spiraling further and further. He couldn’t understand what was going on. Why did the thought of Madara being hurt affect him so much? Was it because they were life mates? But they didn’t know each other that much, not yet. No, it must be his fear for his brother. Damn it. He couldn’t think.

Tobirama began to sway. Out of reflex he reached out to the door frame and gripped it as hard as possible. Still, it wasn’t enough, he could feel his legs starting to quiver. With a thud he let himself fall against the nearby wall and used it as support to slide to the ground slowly.

He could feel a whimper building up in the back of his throat, and as much as he tried to suppress it, it still escaped his control. And once out, many more followed. Tobirama was out of his mind within seconds. He barely noticed a small hand touching his shoulder, or the panicked cries of his pup, or how much bigger hands were pushed under his frame to pick him up. The last thing he caught before completely passing out was the fresh scent of a forest in the morning.

----

“Tajima-san, Izuna-san. Quickly. You’re needed in the healing halls.”

“What? Why? What happened?”

“It’s Madara-sama. He has been badly hurt. He lost a lot of blood. We need one of you for a blood-transfusion.” Tajima and Izuna didn’t hesitate and run after the young boy, neither of them noticing the red eyes observing them.

“Tell us what happened? How bad is it?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t answer your questions. I only know that Senju-sama healed the worst of Madara-sama’s wounds while they were still out before he could bleed out.”

“And who was responsible for his injuries?” Izuna gritted out.

“I don’t know, sir.”

“How can we know it weren’t the Sen…”

“Izuna, stop immediately. I won’t tolerate your attitude at such times. Your brother, your clan leader is in critical condition. If your only concern is if the Senju betrayed us right now, which I seriously doubt, then you better return home at once.”

Izuna bit on his tongue, and for once didn’t argue. As much as he hated the entire situation with the Senju, he still loved his brother. He just needed to prove to him how false their long-term enemy was.

For a short moment a slight hint of yellow flashed in Izuna’s eyes that neither Tajima nor the other Uchiha noticed. And when they finally reached the healing halls, Izuna’s eyes were completely normal again.

Inside the halls, only a few Uchiha were in dire need of a healer. Mostly it was some minor wounds that needed some cleaning and stitches but nothing more than that. Therefore, it was hardly possible to overlook the gathering of healers more in the back of the room.

One of them saw them and immediately waved them over, “Tajima-sama, Izuna-san. Quick.”

When they were close enough the entire extent of Madara’s wounds came into view or at least how badly he must have been hurt. Half of his armor was gone, seemingly cut through by something very sharp, and partly even molded on the edges.

“How is he?”

“Senju-sama has healed the worst of the wounds, but Madara-sama is suffering from severe blood loss. He needs a transfusion and that fast. It’s either you or Izuna-san.”

“Father can’t effort to give any of his blood. Or else, he might fall seriously ill again.” Misaki cut in and looked at her second older brother. “We need Izuna for this.”

“I’m here. Take as many as you need.”

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault, Madara got hurt so badly.” Hashirama said after a minute in which everyone was preparing the transfusion. Until then, Izuna had ignored the Senju the entire time. But with this declaration he couldn’t do so anymore.

However, before he could snarl any accusations Tajima asked, “What happened?”

“At first, everything has gone after plan. I took down most of our opponents with my Mokuton. Then Madara and I had gone after the two we already fought once. They have been there as well. Each of them had some kind of special weapon they hadn’t had before. A sword, a fan, some kind of rope? I don’t know. But whatever those weapons were, they made their users incredibly stronger. Unfortunately, I realized it too late, and it almost got me killed wouldn’t it have been for Madara. I…I’m not sure what exactly happened. He…one moment Madara stood in front of me, back to me, and a huge fireball thrown at the opponent. Not just a normal fireball. One with black flames lacing on the edges. Then…then the next he fell backwards, unconscious and blood everywhere. I…it remembered me of Tobi. All the blood. I…”

“Take some deep breaths, Hashirama. It’s not your fault.”

“It…”

“Someone. Please, someone needs to take down the seal. We can’t reach him.” They were interrupted by someone running in screaming. Tajima turned and saw a middle-aged omega approaching them.

“Tabaki? Wha…”

“Tajima-sama. Please. You need to hurry. The Senju omega. He just collapsed. It looks like he has a panic attack.” Before he could even react, Hashirama was up and running out of the healing halls, knowing he was the only one besides Madara who could take down the barrier.

It took him not even half a minute to reach the house where he saw Tobirama lying on the ground, a crying Kagami shaking his shoulder.

“Tobirama.” Hashirama yelled, stepping through the barrier without issue.

“Hashi-oji. Kasan. Help, p-please.” Kagami cried.

“Shh. It’s alright. Everything will be fine.” Hashirama wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince at that moment, but it didn’t matter. His baby brother looked pale, his breathing much too fast, with eyes wide open but empty like he wasn’t there. Furthermore, he looked as if he was on the verge of passing out, which he did as soon as Hashirama had picked him up.

Hashirama quickly returned to the healing halls and put Tobirama on a bed not far from where Madara laid, already much more alive looking than he did a few minutes ago. Izuna was lying near his brother, one end of a tube attached to his exposed arm while the other end was being attached to Madara’s arm.

His eyes stayed on his brother while Tajima, Misaki and Sango immediately moved over to Hashirama.

“What happened to him? He was fine when I saw him last. Kagami?” Tajima asked the little boy

“I d-don’t ‘now. Ka-kasan…I w-woke up. I…I f-found…on…floor.”

“Shhh. Shhh. He will be fine.”, tried Sango to sooth Kagami who couldn’t stop crying and staring at his mother’s unconscious form.

“Is ka-san h-hurt? ‘hat ‘bout baby?” Hashirama was already running scanning his brother’s body for any injuries. Luckily, he didn’t find any. Tobirama must have been managed to get safely onto the floor before completely losing control of his omega. Kami, Hashirama hoped, he would never hear his brother whimpering like this ever again. And now here he was.

Hashirama took a deep breath. It wasn’t time to lose control over himself. He needed to focus. Most importantly, he needed to check if the baby and Tobirama were fine. Then he could check how Madara was doing and end his report to Tajima. Only then, he might himself allow to fall apart. Maybe. Maybe it was better if he waited until he got back home. In the Senju compound. With his brother. In their nest. Tobirama’s nest. Yes, that sounded good. He could do that. Madara is strong. Madara will be fine soon. But Tobirama. His baby brother was so fragile right now. Hashirama needed him home.

“…’rama? Hashirama. Is he okay? Talk to us, please.” Hashirama shook out of his spiraling thoughts and his eyes met those of Misaki.

“There are no internal damages. His heart rate is a little fast, but it’s calming down. Same for the baby.”

“I wonder what happened.”

“He probably saw me and Izuna running to the healing halls and feared something is wrong with Hashirama-sama. Or…”, Tajima cast a glance at his unconscious son over his shoulder, “…they are not bonded, but maybe Madara’s near death still affected Tobirama-kun.”

“That’s…not good.”, was everything Misaki could say to it.

“It doesn’t matter. I want to bring Tobirama home.” Hashirama looked over at his friend, who still was receiving blood from his own brother. “With the blood transfusion Madara should recover without issue. With luck he will wake up soon. If not…”, Hashirama sighed, “…I hope you and he can forgive me for not wanting to wait. I’m still a clan head myself. I need to return to my people. I’d already sent the other Senju home. Tomorrow, I’ll leave with Tobirama.”

“You don’t need to apologize. Madara will understand. It was already a risk for Tobirama to leave in the first place, though I can understand why you couldn’t leave him at home. However, now it’s time to return him to his nest.” Tajima explained.

“And Kagami? Will you take him with you?”

“If you still see no issue, then we’ll be happy to have him.” Kagami, who was slightly dozing at Sango’s shoulder perked up.

“I can go with you?” Sango and Hashirama nodded.

“We discussed it before they had left this morning. This has nothing to do with clan matters but is a matter of the family. And Tobirama is part of your family. The most important part. Of course, we will miss you, but I can see how much you want to be with your mother. And I trust your mother and uncle to keep you save.” Sango explained with a kiss on Kagami’s temple who beamed at her with a smile and some tears in his eyes.

“I think it’s settled then. When do you want to leave?”

“Tomorrow, after lunch. I want to give us and Madara a chance to say goodbye.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. Would I have been more…”

“Hashirama. You fought enough battles to know how fast things can change, often enough to the worst. But look around. Can you truly say the battle has been bad? I haven’t seen one single casualties, and none have been reported so far. Though, I’m unaware about the status of your own clan members. Yes, Madara had been badly hurt, but he’s still alive, thanks to you.”

“There haven’t been any casualties among the Senju as well. Yumiko took care of the worst injuries among Senju and Uchiha, though nothing truly life threating, before she returned to the Senju compound with the others. Madara has been the only one who had it bad.”

“And he’s fine now.” Izuya cut in, stepping over to them. “He should wake up in a few hours.”

“Amaterasu be blessed.” Sango sighed.

“Ah, now that you mentioned our goddess. Our priestess wishes to meet Tobirama in our temple for Amaterasu before he leaves.” Tajima explained while rubbing his cheek. “But due to the given circumstances, I fear she will have to wait. I’m not sure what she’s exactly planning, though I’m certain it’s nothing bad. However, I have a feeling this visit will be…exhausting.”

“Exhausting?”

“Mhm. Our priestess…let’s say she is a little special.”

“I hope in a good way, otherwise I might not let my brother meet her at all, because you don’t sound very convincing right now Tajima-san.”

“Ah. Sorry, sorry. Actually, Tobirama has already met her. She came for a visit during the morning. She, uhm, more like ordered him to visit the temple.”

“It’s not helping.” Izuya whispered to his father while Hashirama’s mouth twitched.

“I mean. Ah, look. It’s late. We all should get some rest. Tomorrow, we will see how both of them are. But no matter what, we won’t stop you from leaving with Tobirama. I deal with the priestess should she has some complains.”

“Sounds good for me.” With that their discussion was at an end.

Behind them, Izuna had listened silently, for once keeping his mouth shut. However, Hikaku has discretely watched him while everyone else was occupied with either Madara or the others. For that reason, Hikaku didn’t miss the slight yellow shine in Izuna’s eyes when his eyes fell on Tobirama for a brief moment.

Luckily, Hikaku was fast enough to capture the moment with his Sharingan. It was also thanks to his Sharingan that he could see something black entering the tube. Before it could reach Madara though, Hikaku pulled the tube out of Madara’s arm, letting it look like an accident. The healer gave him a stinky eye but healed the wound before Madara would lose the blood he had already received. Luckily, the healer also deemed it not necessary to give him any more blood, which let Hikaku slightly sighed in relief. Now, he only hoped that whatever possessed Izuna can be removed from him without killing him, if he was even still alive. Hikaku wasn’t so sure about it.

Chapter Text

Madara woke up in the early hours of morning. At first he didn’t recognize where he was, nor could he see very much because everything was dark, and his vision still blurry.

Then slowly his other senses started to kick in and he could smell the scent of medical herbs, old blood and most important the subliminal scent of home. Not his home where he usually resides, but the Uchiha compound in general.

At this his muscles, that had been tense from the moment he woke, relaxed and he dared to breathe more freely, which resulted in him realizing that he wasn’t alone in the infirmary.

As soon as the scent of Tobirama hit his nose, his alpha took over, Madara was still much too out to keep his control.

He jumped from his bed, ignoring the strain it put on his wounds, and started to look for his omega. It took him just a second to see strains of white hair peeking out from under a blanket. He couldn’t see a face, because his omega was cuddled up into another alpha with his face buried in said alphas neck.

This sight let his mood swing from worry to rage. His eyes turned alpha red, his scent spiked up to the level where it alerted everyone else close to his state. Who was that alpha who dared to hold his omega. A deep growl emitted from his throat that immediately rose the other alpha from his sleep.

In this moment red met red. The tension rose in the room and both alphas started to snarl at each other. The whimper from the white-haired omega did nothing to calm the two alphas, more the opposite.

It increased the possessive instinct of Madara and the protective instincts of Hashirama, who slowly entangled himself from his brother until he was crouching over Tobirama, ready to strike the threat before him.

“He’s mine.” Madara growled.

“You wish.” Hashirama snarled right back.

Next second both were jumping at each other, leaving those who had woken up and taken cover to start screaming in panic.

Luckily enough, the two alphas were mindful enough to take the fight outside. Astonishing enough they even stayed away from using any jutsus that could take down the entire compound in a blink. They just used Taijutsu in an attempt to overpower each other. Which could still be dangerous, but less damaging to their surroundings when not directly aiming for destruction on the buildings.

However, the fight was loud enough to wake the entire compound. Within minutes people were outside of their housing and watching the two alphas in amazement and worry. Of course, they kept also their distance.

“What’s happening? Why are they fighting?” Several heads turned to Hikaku, who came up running in haste and stopped next to one of the watching Uchiha.

“We don’t know.”

Hikaku looked around, trying to find the reason for the fight when suddenly he heard laughter coming from behind him.

“Haven’t I told you? We can’t trust them. The Senju. Look at the Senju clan head. He’s gone mad.” With a frown Hikaku turned to Izuna, which had a smug smile on his face. Hikaku couldn’t see the strange yellow glint in his eyes, but there was still pure satisfaction in them.

Hikaku turned and looked at Hashirama. Then at Madara.

“If Hashirama is mad then Madara is too.” It wasn’t Hikaku who said it, but Sango who stood next to him. The twins, Kagami and Tajima were also there.

“If they were mad then I doubt we would still stand and be able to watch. I think there is a certain reason why they fight.”, Misaki stated.

Hikaku couldn’t imagine a reason that would cause the two alphas to fight each other, except one. “Tobirama. Where is Tobirama?”

“I can’t see him. He’s probably still in the infirmary. Do you think…”

“I think Madara's injuries were severe enough to leave him disoriented and confused when he woke up. He must have seen Tobirama lying with another alpha, who he didn’t recognize as Hashirama. I guess he wasn’t very pleased, and his alpha took over. Hashirama must have reacted out of instinct to protect his brother.”

“Oh. Oh, we should have thought about it. This isn’t good” Misaki said with gasp.

“We have to check on Tobirama. If they have started the fight while still in the healing halls then he might be injured.” Izuya yelped in worry.

“I think it’s not necessary. Look.” Sango said and pointed at the entrance of the infirmary. Hikaku and the others followed the line of sight she hinted at and immediately were met with the sight of healer Uchiha Masato supporting a tired looking Tobirama. He didn’t seem injured though. Which was a relief.

But the relief was short lived, because Tobirama took one look at his brother and future mate, his face turning into a sour looking expression, and marched straight to the two fighting alphas.

“By Amaterasu. What is he doing?” Misaki whispered yelled, half in panic.

They all watched in horror, shock, or absolute awe as Tobirama suddenly disappeared and reappeared directly above the two Alphas, a hand on each of their heads, and slamming them face first into the ground. Loud gasped run through the compound before a sudden shocked silence settled in. Nobody seemed to breathe.

Then with a tone like thunder, Tobirama snarled, "I just can't believe it. I had a panic attack because I thought one of you had managed to get yourself killed by some stupid idiots. But look at you. You seem to be doing perfectly fine. Well enough to beat each other up for whatever reason. How could I have believed for a second that someone else could kill one of you? How embarrassing."

“…”

“What’s gotten into you two?”

“…”

There was a muffled loud coming from Hashirama, but no one understood what he said. Tobirama slightly lessened his grip on their heads, so that both alphas could remove their faces from the dirt.

“Tobi.” Hashirama whined.

“Don’t Tobi me. What were you thinking starting a fight with Madara.”

“I didn’t. It’s his fault.”

“His fault?”

“He’s right. I lost control over my alpha. I couldn’t see much, but I could smell you. I thought you have been injured, because I woke up in the infirmary. I searched for you, and I saw you lying in bed with another alpha. I know it’s sound stupid. But I haven’t realized it was Hashirama. And before I could my alpha already took over. It provoked Hashirama’s own alpha and well, here we are.”

“So. it’s my fault now?”

“NO. I…I was just…not myself. My alpha…”

“Yeah, got it already the first time, bla bla bla. It doesn’t explain why my own stupid brother thought to fight with you.”

“I just tried to protect you.” Hashirama pouted.

“By risking taking down the entire compound?” Tobirama scoffed.

“We didn’t use any jutsus.” Hashirama gulped.

“Tsk. Even then you could have taken down the entire compound. Look around you. It’s only by mere luck that you haven’t destroyed anything. And who knows how much longer you both could have held yourself back. You were close to going into a full-blown alpha rage. Both of you.”

Hashirama and Madara stiffened, comprehending what the omega just said.

And wasn’t that another terrifying thought? Tobirama was the only one not terrified to interfere. But what if…

“Stop thinking. Both of you. Nothing happened. You can regret your actions later. And I don’t want to hear any other excuses. I’m tired. If you both have calmed enough then I’d like to go back to bed before the little one decides to throw a tantrum. I had enough excitement the last weeks. And I don’t need more of it.” Tobirama snapped.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Hashirama agreed quickly.

“I apologize as well.”, Madara agreed and added a little awkwardly and with his face bright red, “Uhm. Would you mind? Not that I don’t like your hand in my hair, but it’s…kind of embarrassing right now.”

“What. Embarrassed that an omega could stop the two strongest Shinobi of our time? You know what. I give a fuck, right now. I’m going back to bed.” Tobirama stood and clapped the dust from his robes.

“And before I forget. Take a bath. You reek as you’d slept among corpses.” Tobirama said in disgust and with two fingers covering his nose to emphasize his statement before he stormed away in the direction of Sango’s and Hikaku’s home. It wasn’t the truth per se, but it wasn’t a complete lie either. Tobirama’s sense of smell was more sensitive than usual and especially Madara’s rich alpha scent was very emphasizing. Still, there was also the scent of blood and burned flesh, which was much less pleasant.

The others watched him go, most of them with an expression of shock or admiration. Misaki and Izuya as well as little Kagami followed the omega to make sure he was fine.

It must have been a few seconds when Hashirama suddenly caught a scent that let him crunch his nose in disgust. It wasn’t the smell Tobirama complained about, but one Hashirama didn’t like either.

“Really, Madara? I know he’s your mate, but don’t forget he’s also my baby brother. Therefore, keep it together at least until you’re alone.” If possible, Madara turned red like a tomato when several eyes focused on him. He tried to ignore the stares and instead glared at Hashirama.

“Just wait until you meet your life mate and they take you down like it’s nothing. We’ll see who’s looking in disgust then.”

“Stop it you two. We don’t need you to start another fight and agitate Tobirama even more.” Sango scolded.

“I agree. Madara-sama, you should get some more rest. You’re still recovering. And Hashirama-sama. I, uhm, You’re not injured, and well your brother hasn’t gone back to the infirmary.” Hikaku looked behind him where Tobirama was entering his home. He wasn’t sure why Tobirama choose to go there instead of the room back in the main house, but he was glad. He didn’t trust Izuna, especially not with the look the young man has given the omega when he stopped the two alphas.

Hikaku shook his head and focused back on Hashirama, who was now standing and dusting off his own clothes.

“Uhm.”

“Let Hazami prepare a bath for him, Hikaku. Tobirama is right. He stinks and needs to fresh up.”

“Oy. He meant both of us.”

“So, you at least don’t deny your reek disgusting.”

“You both need a bath.” Sango cut in in annoyance. “So, you can both take one in the bathhouse together with Hikaku and Tajima. You clearly need someone more levelheaded in the moment.”

“Wh…”

“End of discussion.”

“Fine. Let’s go.” Madara gritted and shoved Hashirama in the direction of the bathhouse.

----

A few hours later, Madara was leading Tobirama and Hashirama to the temple, followed also by Tajima and the others of the main family, except of Izuna of course.

Madara had been surprised when he was told the priestess had left the temple to invite or more like to order Tobirama to come for a visit before leaving. But this was the exact reason why he saw no issue with it. Other than Izuna, who to no one’s surprise protested the moment he heard the Senju were meant to visit the temple. But as always his complaints were ignored.

Because truly, who were they to protest when it was the priestess herself that came to invite Tobirama into the house of Amaterasu-kamisama. Still, Madara promised Tobirama that he didn’t need to go if he didn’t want to, but Tobirama was well and curious enough to make a short visit.

And though Hashirama hadn’t received an invitation Madara saw no issue to take him there as well. If he wasn’t allowed to enter like his brother, then the priestess could tell him herself. Madara was still too tired for another round of endless bickering.

When they arrived at the temple the priestess was already waiting at the entrance. She didn’t say anything when she saw them and just disappeared inside. Taking it as permission, Madara led the two Senju inside, but only after they have taken off their shoes.

The interior of the temple was dark, illuminated only by a few candles on the sides of the room. However, at the far end sunlight was shining through the roof and was illuminating a big statue of a woman.

Hashirama let out a gasp of surprise and even Tobirama was dumbfounded. The Uchiha really didn’t lie when they said he was the perfect image of their goddess, even if he was a male.

“This is Amaterasu-kamisama. Our goddess.” The priestess said, appearing next to the statue, her eyes fixed on Tobirama.

“There was a time the Uchiha were convinced people with white hair and red eyes were blessed by Amaterasu-sama. Our clan invited, or more like kidnapped those people and kept them within the compound. We didn’t hurt them and believed it was our duty to protect them. Unfortunately, other clans soon enough used those people either as bait or to infiltrate our home. It almost ended with the extinction of our clan, because we were naïve and blind. Luckily, Amaterasu-kamisama intervened just in time and killed all those false blessed kept within the temple, without exception. Today, we will see if you are a false blessed or not.”

Everyone’s eyes widen in shock when realization hit. But at this point it was already too late. The temple was flooded by a bright light while everyone except of Tobirama and the priestess was forced to the ground by an invisible power.

Tobirama was frozen at his place and could only watch as a translucent woman emerged from the statue. She didn’t walk but floated over to Tobirama and stopped only a few inches away from him.

He wanted to retreat, but his legs refused to move. He wanted to protect his belly with his arms, but they refused to move either. Truly, the only thing Tobirama could do was watch her. How she began to smile. How she reached out a hand to cup one side of his face and lovingly rub his cheek with her thumb. There was a warmth flooding his body Tobirama never felt ever before. And suddenly he knew he would be alright and started to relax. He even started to press his face further into her hand. And before he knew it he was purring, which caused her to smile even brighter.

Completely lost by the current feeling, Tobirama missed how she reached out with her other hand. He missed how his Yukata was opened and left his front exposed.

However, he didn’t miss when a warm hand was suddenly pressed against his belly. Startled, he opened his eyes, which he hadn’t known he had closed at one point and looked at the goddess afraid. Afraid of his baby. He wanted to plead to her not to hurt his child, but no word would leave his mouth.

Still, she seemed to know what he thought, because her smile softened and a feeling of safety engulfed him.

And then everything was over. The woman gone and the temple dark as before, except of the statue still illuminated by sunlight. However, there was something new, or more like someone new in the temple. Tobirama didn’t need his chakra to know it, because he could see and feel it.

Tobirama lifted his head and was face to face with a giant white tiger with black stripes.

“Hello, little one.”

“Ah, hello.”

“It’s time we finally meet.”

“Who…who are you?”

“My name is Arashi. I had once a contract with your mother.”

“My…mother.”

“Mhm. Yes your mother.”

“Mother is gone.”

“I know.”

“You’re here.”

“Hn.”

“How?”

“Because you summoned me.”

“I did?”

“Hn.”

Tobirama stared at the tiger. Then his head snapped down to his exposed belly, where the seal was on display.

“It looks different.” Tobirama whispered in confusion.

“Of course it does. The block that kept the contract hidden and locked has been removed.”

“So, mother indeed hid her contract with you by sealing it within my body.”

“Yes and no. My contract with your mother ended the moment you were born and was transferred to you instead.”

Tobirama’s head snapped back up. “What?”

“Your mother knew you were something special the moment you were born, and I agreed. We also knew Butsuma was close to break our contract with force by burning it.”

“Why didn’t you kill him?”

“Oh, I wanted nothing more than to rip his throat out, but your stubborn mother feared that the Senju clan would kill her and her children in retribution, maybe even go to war with the Hatake, who hadn’t even a clue that she had been taken. She didn’t even let me inform her clan what had happened to her. They would have freed her.”

“But why? Why wouldn’t she want her clan to know where she was?”

“I don’t know, little one.”

“T-Tobirama?” Both tiger and his summoner moved their heads to the voice that belonged to Hashirama.

“Anija.”

“Would you mind coming to me?” Tobirama frowned at the nervous tone of his brother.

“What it is Anija? I’m fine.”

“I can see that, but…please?” Tobirama stared at his brother until realization hit. He was standing between the front legs of a giant tiger who might be able to swallow Tobirama in whole by just opening his mouth and lowering his head.

“Ah, Anija. Don’t worry. He won’t harm me. Let me introduce you instead in case you haven’t realized it yet. This is Arashi. He was mothers summon. You know the one we never met. And as I had guessed, mother hid her contract by sealing it into my skin.” Tobirama pointed to his belly, where the seal was still visible.

Hashirama’s eyes were wide while he listened to his brother. “Arashi-sama.”

“You’re Reiko’s oldest son. You look like…”

“Please don’t say it.” Hashirama winced.

“Hm? You don’t like how you look similar to Reiko’s grandfather?”

“Huh?”

Arashi scoffed, “Don’t tell me you thought I would say you look like Butsuma. I mean, yes, you have his hair and skin color, but you look very much like your great-grandfather.”

“Oh. Suiko-oba didn’t mention it when we met, neither did mother.” Hashirama frowned while rubbing a finger against his cheek.

“Hashirama?” This time it was Madara who cut into their conversation.

Arashi growled at the sight of the Uchiha. He automatically shifted to a more protective position.

“What is an Uchiha doing here?”

“Excuse me?”

“Arashi-sama. It’s fine. The Senju and Uchiha have a ceasefire. We are also close to start peace talks.”

“Is that so? Interesting.” The tiger slightly relaxed.

“Hn. This is Uchiha Madara, the current clan head of the Uchiha. We are also in the temple of their goddess, Amaterasu-kamisama. So, he actually has every right to be here.” Tobirama clarified.

“I see.”

Tobirama yawned, “Kami, I’m tired. I have no idea what actually happened, but I’m more than ready to return home.

“Wait a second. Now that you mentioned it, what exactly has happened? All I know is that there was a sudden bright light and weight pressing me to the ground. And then everything was back to normal, except that there is suddenly a tiger sitting within the temple.”

“Huh. I can’t remember.” Tobirama frowned while closing his Yukata again. Meanwhile, Madara was searching for the priestess, but she seemed to have vanished while they were occupied. Then his gaze found that of his father and Hikaku.

“Do you know what happened?” They shook their heads.

“Strange.”

----

Some hours later, Tobirama was curled up in his own nest, at home, in the Senju compound, with Hashirama at his back and Kagami snuggled against his chest. But that wasn’t all. Arashi had also managed to squeeze into Tobirama’s room and was taking in most of the room.

Chapter Text

On the engawa of the Senju main house, Tobirama sat with his back against Arashi’s side, who was lying behind him.

Both watched Kagami throwing one kunai after another at targets placed at different positions. Behind Kagami stood also Touka who watched the little Uchiha closely.

Hashirama was with the elders, discussing the content of the peace treaty he and Tobirama had worked on for the last week since their return. Something for what Tobirama was grateful Hashirama allowed him, because yet again he had been confined to his nest and was not allowed to leave it except to relieve himself. It was torture. Tobirama knew he needed the rest, but his brother also knew him well enough to know that his little brother would go crazy if he did nothing at all. Therefore, each day Hashirama sat down at Tobirama’s desk next to his nest and discussed with him for a few hours what to include in the peace treaty.

It was also the time of day when Touka took Kagami out for some training. Kagami wasn’t very happy to leave his mother, but he didn’t want to disappoint either by neglecting his training.

Much to Tobirama’s relief his bed rest lasted only for a week. Kagami was also very happy and immediately wanted to show his skills with a kunai. Which brought them to this moment.

“The little one is good. I’m impressed.” Arashi said.

“Yes. For a five-year-old he learns quickly.”

“You’re proud of him.”

“How could I not be.”

“True. But what will you do with your other little one? Will you start teaching them as soon as they are able to walk?”

Tobirama considered his words. When would be the best time to start training? The war with the Uchiha was over. If all goes according to plan, a village will be created soon. Children will no longer be forced on a battlefield before they reach even ten years of age. Still, Shinobi will be needed. And Shinobi training should start as soon as possible. However, it doesn’t mean it must be as early or hard as in the past. He didn’t want his child to become a murderer at the tender age of four or five like he had been. But, he didn’t want his child to be defenseless either.

“It’s difficult to say what the proper age would be, to be honest. Though, I know I don’t want my child to have a similar childhood to my own. I want my children to be carefree, to grow up in peace without fear. To have fun and to enjoy it. And I don’t want them to force themselves to be something they don’t want to be. Still, I also want them to be able to defend themselves. No matter how peaceful living in a village might be, there will always be people who will be a possible danger to them. And especially my own children will have a target on their back, just because they are mine and/or Madara’s. We both have enemies. Madara in special is from a bloodline, an Uchiha, who are hunted because of their Kekkei Genkei, the Sharingan. Kagami has already been kidnapped once because he’s an Uchiha. And there have been already two attempts to get me and my unborn child.”

Tobirama looked at his hand on his belly and stroked it softly. It was the beginning of May and Tobirama had just reached his seven months mark. The size of his belly has grown but was still much smaller than usual. Something he accepted and stopped to be worried about. Hashirama as well as Yumiko reassured him that everything was fine. And the baby proved its health with several strong kicks in his ribs every day.

“Anyway. I have a few ideas I’ll present should there be indeed a village someday. Some kind of an academy. Children will be applied at the age of five or six, maybe even earlier. There will be a core curriculum like writing, reading, mathematics, geography, history and so on. It will also include ninja training, of course. At first, only some basics in Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. Students who have now interest in becoming a Shinobi will still learn the basics, even those low on chakra will at least be trained in Taijutsu.”

“You want to include everyone.”

“Yes. They all have to learn the general stuff like writing or reading. And I think separating Shinobi children from civilians won’t benefit the village in the long term. Most civilians outside the clans’ fear Shinobis, which is fair to a point. But I can imagine some moving into a Shinobi build village anyway. And you have to think in the long term. Better to find a system that includes and benefits everyone from the beginning instead of one after another. People get easily frustrated if they think to be excluded.”

“Sounds complicated. Why change what you already have in place? You have a clan leader, right.”

“Leading a clan and leading a village are two different things. In some way similar, sure, but there are so many more people to consider. Firstly, you have several different clans with different views and skills. Secondly, you have the civilians. To be honest the civilians from outside might be easier to handle than the different clans who might want to join. Senju, Uchiha, Yamanaka, Nara, Akimichi, Hyuuga, Aburame and more. They will all have their certain terms of being a part of the village. Land, positions, political influence and so on.”

“Pff. I’m already exhausted by just listening. Are you sure a village is worth all that effort? Why not just agree of a general peace between the clans with some simple terms, like everyone stays away from each other and be done with it.”

“Well, it’s one possibility of course, but something that can easily be broken. You’re old enough. I’m sure you have seen how clans switch from being friends to enemies within a blink of an eye. But if all live in one village then it’s harder to drive a wedge between the clans. They will all have a common goal. Furthermore, with all children growing up together, fighting, laughing, crying together another feeling of unity will bloom.”

Tobirama leaned his head back to look at the sky. “They will all identify themselves as a part of one village instead of just being a member of a certain clan. They will wear the same uniforms, the same symbol. That’s at least how I vision it to be.”

“And we will achieve the goal, otouto.” Tobirama slightly moved his head to the direction his older brother was approaching. Hashirama’s own head was directed at Kagami, who just threw his last kunai. When it hit the target Hashirama smiled and then turned his gaze to Tobirama.

His smile grew while he lifted a hand with a stack of paper, “No complains from the elders. Our first version of the peace treaty is ready to be sent. And just in time, because the delegation from Uzushiogakure will arrive within the next two hours. They already are within our borders.”

Right. The Uzumaki. Two days ago, a messenger bird arrived and informed them about the delegations’ departure. Tobirama wasn’t so sure how to feel about it, especially at the thought of meeting Uzumaki Mito, the potential live mate of his older brother. On one side, he was looking forward to meeting the best fūinjutsu users of all time. On the other hand, he dreaded the moment Mito and Hashirama would meet. How would it go? Will they recognize each other as live mates? What if they are? Will Hashirama break his promise and leave Tobirama?

Admittedly, Mito wasn’t an omega. And even if she was it’d be of no matter. Hashirama and Tobirama were just brothers. In addition, he had a life mate of his own. Because of that Tobirama shouldn’t feel like he was feeling. As if he was about to lose something very important.

Before he knew it he found himself in his brother’s arms. There was the noise of a distressed whining, which he realized was coming from his own throat. He stopped immediately and blinked a few times to get his focus back.

“Shh, shh. It’s alright. Everything’s fine, otouto. I’m here.”

“Anija.”

“That’s right. Your Anija is here.”

“Hm.”

“Kaasan?”

“What’s going on Hashirama?”

Hashirama looked up and saw Kagami and Touka standing at the engawa.

“I’m not sure. Tobi? May you tell us what got you so distressed out of the sudden?”

“…” Tobirama mumbled something no one understood.

“What?”

“I said, it’s nothing.”

“Otouto. It’s not nothing if you end up like this. Please tell me.”

“It’s stupid. Just my hormones acting up.”

Neither Hashirama nor Touka looked convinced, but they decided not to push. Tobirama didn’t need any unnecessary stress, not if he was just two months away from giving birth.

“Kaasan?” Kagami climbed halfway on the engawa to be closer. Tobirama slightly moved, so he could look at his son.

“Sorry, Kags. I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m fine. I promise” Kagami titled his head. For several seconds he just watched his mother, who didn’t look away from him. Seemingly satisfied with what he was seeing, Kagami nodded once before a big smile grew on his face.

“Look, kaasan. I hit all targets.” Tobirama followed Kagami’s gaze and indeed, Kagami didn’t miss once, though it wasn’t always the middle.

"Very well done. I'm very proud. Keep it up, and you'll be better than my big goof of a brother."

“Hey, I’m not that bad.”

“So? What about a little competition. You against Kagami.”

“Yes, please, please, Hashi-‘jisan.”

Hashirama laughed, “Fine, fine. But only one round. I need to send this to Madara, and we expect some visitors soon.”

“Yeah.” Kagami jumped back and gathered all the kunai while Hashirama removed himself from Tobirama, who then was again leaning against Arashi.

“Your brother is very protective.” The white tiger then said when Hashirama and Kagami started their competition.

“He is.”

“You don’t need to fear he will leave you. Only death will remove him from your side or vice versa. Though it will only be temporary.” Tobirama twitched. Seems Arashi knew what he was worried about.

“You mean until our souls meet again in the pure lands.”

“Indeed.”

“What if I tell you, I’d bring him back?” Arashi’s gaze switched to Tobirama, who stared at his brother.

“Depends. Will it be still your brother or just a puppet?”

Silence.

“Both.”, whispered Tobirama. Arashi’s gaze hadn’t left him for once, but after the answer it turned to Hashirama.

“Then I hope you love your brother enough to let his soul rest until your own is ready to join him.”

Again silence.

“Arashi. I don’t plan to ever use it. It was created out of despair after I lost my little brothers. But I truly realized the horror when…”, Tobirama shook his head, “…I need to find a counter jutsu. If I can create such kind of jutsu, another can as well. And I don’t want to imagine someone summoning Hashirama or Madara and being able to control them. The best option would be a jutsu that prevents it from happening at all. But considering that even the smallest amount of blood is enough, it’s nearly impossible.”

“Burn the body.”

“You forget that many clans refuse to burn their death. Even we Senju bury them, giving them back to mother earth. And as I said, you don’t necessarily need the body. Some blood or organ is enough to summon the soul.”

“Is it of consequence if the blood or organs are collected before or after death?”

“No. It doesn’t matter.”

“I see.”

“I’m thinking also about a jutsu to break the control of the summoner over his victims. Either by an outside force or the summoned soul itself.”

“Maybe you ask your visitors. They are masters of fūinjutsu. I’m sure they can help you with it. I would help you if I could, but my understanding of that kind of art is limited.”

“But you know how a summoner contract works, right?”

“You know how to use a weapon, but do you know how to create it?”

“Well, I created a lot, but I guess I know what you mean. Ouch.” Tobirama grimaced.

“Your pup?”

“Mhm. It’s very active. I fear the kick will leave me with another bruise.”

“You’re too thin. Merely skin and bones. It’s no wonder the kicks hurt so much. There is no fat to soften the hits.” Arashi scoffs.

“Tsk. Not much I can do. I’m eating as much as I can, but at this point most of the nutrients go straight to the baby while the rest is just enough to keep me running. And I can’t eat more without risking losing what I already ate.”

“Your body is weak.”

“That's what you'd expect when you're in a coma for several weeks after suffering life-threatening injuries and later battling a life-threatening illness. Truly, that I haven’t lost my child is a miracle.”

“Or a blessing of a certain goddess.”

“Maybe, though I’m not exactly a believer.”

“Not exactly?”

“We Senju have no god or goddess we pray to. And even if we had one, I probably would have lost faith in them while I was still a small kid. Even now I’m uncertain of what to think about me looking like Amaterasu and what it means. And where is the proof she exists? It could be just legends and fairy tales. On the other hand, why not? I created a jutsu to bring back someone’s soul. People have chakra that they can use to do things that would otherwise be impossible. Even you and other kinds of summons live in different regions barely known by people. And who knows what else exists in the world. So, who am I to say gods don’t exist, just because I’m not believing in them.”

Before Arashi could say something they were interrupted by Kagami, yelling, “Hashi-jisan. No cheating.”

“I don’t cheat.”

“You did. I have seen it. You moved the target.”

“I did not.”

“You did.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Noooo.”

“Yessss.”

“Toukaaaa. Tell him I didn’t cheat.” Touka messaged the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

“You can’t even lose in dignity, can you. I can’t even ask if you’re five, because it’d be an offense to the five-year-old present.”

“Wh…”

“You’re not as subtle as you think you are.”

Hashirama pouted, but then smiled brightly, “Ok. You caught me. I plead myself guilty.”

“I knew it.” Kagami yelled with a fist in the air.

“Don’t be proud of cheating.” Touka said while hitting Hashirama with a fist against the back of his head. “You can’t even win against a toddler. You should be embarrassed.”

Kagami ignored the two adults and run up to Tobirama with a proud grin in his face.

“Kaasan, kaasan. I won.”

“Yes. Congratulations. Seems it’s not you who need more training but my brother.” Tobirama looked up and gave his brother a sharp look that let Hashirama flinch.

“You know how rarely I fight with a kunai. I’m mostly using my Mokuton.”

“No excuses. From tomorrow on you will join Kagami in his training.” Hashirama slumped his shoulders.

“As you wish.”

----

Two hours later, the delegation of Uzushiogakure arrived with Uzumaki Mito in the lead.

Chapter Text

Mito wasn’t sure what to expect. Since she was little he heard stories of her sister’s clan and how strenuous relations had become, especially in the years after Butsuma was declared clan head. She could remember him once visiting Uzushiogakure, how his entire demeanor sent a shiver down her spine. His scent was like acid and at the tender age of six he looked like a demon to her.

Seeing her father showing that demon his limits was for her an amazing experience. Her fear soon enough turned into determination. Never did she wanted to bow to someone, no matter what her second gender would be. She trained hard, learned to withstand alpha commands, which became much easier when she herself presented as an alpha.

At fourteen she earned the title of Master in fūinjutsu, the youngest of her generation and many before her.

It earned her much admiration and many advances from omegas. And there was indeed one who managed to get her attention. An omega a little older than Mito, whose smell was pleasant and kept her alpha calm. He was also very appealing in appearance and character. Basically, he had everything Mito could wish for as a mate.

So, she went to her father to speak with him, but before she even managed to utter a word a scent than no other caught her attention. It triggered something in her she was unable to describe. A feeling of challenge, but at the same time the promise of protection and a deep sense of home.

Imagine her surprise when she realized that the smell belonged to a yukata Senju Butsuma sent. A yukata that belonged to no other than his oldest son Senju Hashirama, who was an alpha just like Mito. And as an alpha, she should have been disgusted, angry, or entirely indifferent to the scent of another Alpha in rut. Not feeling like an excited puppy that found a very interesting toy or a master that found an unknown seal and wanted to reveal its secret.

Even worse, the scent triggered her own rut. It was embarrassing. She was glad no one noticed except her father. The man was much too observant to not notice. He didn’t say anything though, for which she was also grateful. Instead, he sent the yukata right back to Butsuma with a clear message not to bother them anymore.

The reason why Butsuma did it. It was his hope an omega would react to the scent and would end with an arranged marriage. Unfortunately for him, her father had no intention of sending one of his omegas to the Senju, very well knowing what would await them. It was no secret to them how Butsuma treated his own mate and children. Maybe not in great details, but it was enough. And the risk was high that Senju Hashirama would end up like his father. So, even if his scent was calling her like a candle in the dark, she refused to follow it.

That was until they heard of Butsuma’s demise. At this point it had been two years since she smelled Hashirama for the first time. And since then, she could never forget it. It got even to the point where she lost complete interest in the omega she had liked so much. She tried of course, but it just didn’t work out. And she had a suspicion about why that was the case.

So, after she heard of Butsuma’s death, she reached out, of course only after some careful observations and investigations. And she was very pleased with the result. Hashirama liked her scent very much. He was also very polite and honest. What she liked the most was that he had no intention of dragging her or her clan into a war, and that his highest priority his omega brother was and ever will be.

The last was a surprise to herself. Normally, mates, especially life mates would never put someone else above each other, might it be a parent, sibling or even a child. It doesn’t mean they aren’t loved fiercely, but for a life mate the partner was everything.

Therefore, it was some kind of strange that Mito saw no issue in Hashirama’s dedication to his brother. More the opposite, she wanted to help him. She wanted to meet the little brother Hashirama loved so much that he would put him above everyone else, even his life mate, and help to protect him.

At first it was only a spark of that feeling, but the more letters they exchanged and the more she heard about Tobirama the more the spark grew into a flame. And it grew even more when it turned out Tobirama was studying fūinjutsu. She was truly impressed and had no doubt about his brilliance. You just didn’t learn fūinjutsu on your own and create seals at such a young age without any help from a seal master. If Tobirama had grown up in Uzushiogakure, then he probably would have even surpassed Mito when it came to the title of youngest seal master.

And then came the news of Tobirama’s near-death experience together with the discovery of him being pregnant. It shocked her deeply, and at the same time ignited a rage in her like never before. Wouldn’t it have been because of the storm season she would have left immediately. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do but wait for any other news.

And what news they received. It gave her almost a backlash. First, Uchiha Madara requested a ceasefire. Then came an unfamiliar seal, followed by the startling revelation that an Uchiha child had imprinted on Tobirama. Next were the bloodline thieves, who attempted to abduct him, which could be prevented, but had serious consequences, as Tobirama fell gravely ill with pneumonia. The last thing she had heard was that Tobirama would be accompanying Hashirama to the capital, followed weeks later by a brief letter confirming their return and their eager anticipation of her visit.

With each of those news Mito’s urge to leave grew and when it was finally time she didn’t hesitate. And now she was just a blink of an eye away from meeting them. She could already see the first layers of the Senju compound and soon enough the gate leading into it.

And then her steps began to falter. There he was, she had no doubt. Senju Hashirama. She could feel it in her bones, her blood, in her chakra. Since they stepped on Senju land, she could feel it in the earth, in the trees, a constant presence that watched their every move. And it all was connected to this man.

Strong, overwhelmingly strong, was her first thought. Definitely stronger than an average Uzumaki. And handsome. Really, really, handsome. Oh, and that smile. It took her breath away.

Naturally, Mito showed no visible reaction, her composure as unshakable as ever. But inwards her alpha was much too excited. It wanted to dominate, submit, hunt, play, cuddle, everything at once. It took everything in her to control herself, especially when she stood right in front of him and got the first sniff of his fresh scent.

Hashirama himself seemed unfazed, still smiling. But his scent was betraying his excitement. Still, both remained polite.

“Welcome, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’m Senju Hashirama.”

“Uzumaki Mito, second princess of Uzushiogakure. We are honored to finally meet the new clan head of our sister clan. It had been many years.”

“Indeed. And I’m sorry I couldn’t invite you earlier. Now, however, our war with the Uchiha is over and it’s much safer for you to travel the long way to us. Of course, I’d have come to you, but…well, you know about the circumstances. I can’t leave my brother.”

“Understandable.”

“Please follow me.” While leading the delegation through the compound, Hashirama explained, “I need to apologize. Normally, we invite guests to stay in the main house. For your own safety, however, I hope you’ll understand why it’s impossible at the moment.”

“For our safety?”, came the question of one of Mito’s escorts.

“Eh, yeah. You know my brother is pregnant. A lot has happened that left him in a very vulnerable state. We try to keep any stress from him. Which means keeping any strangers away from our home. I’m sorry. It sounds like we wouldn’t trust you, but I truly mean no offense. It’s just that I don’t trust myself. My brother is the most precious thing in my world and currently I’m not doing well to keep myself under control when my brother feels distressed or threatened.”

The Uzumaki delegation exchanged some nervous looks, though Mito could hardly blame Hashirama.

“It’s fine Hashirama-sama.”

“Oh, please just call me Hashirama. There is no need to be so polite. You’re mostly here because you and I can get to know each other and because we have a few seals we need help with. No politics.”

“Then call me Mito, please.”

“As you wish, Mito. And here we are. This will be your home for the foreseeable future.” Hashirama stopped in front of a smaller house that stood near the main house to which he pointed next, “That’s the main house. You’re welcome to have breakfast, lunch and dinner together with us, otherwise just call and it will be delivered to you. Of course, we have prepared some supplies so that you have something to eat at any time. In case you want to join us, it’ll either be me or Touka picking you up or escorting you back. Furthermore, you’re free to walk around the compound or if you want to use our training grounds. All in all, I have only one request. Please don’t enter the main house or approach my brother without me or Touka being there. Otherwise…”, Hashirama bit on his lower lip while also looking apologetic, “…I, I don’t want to threaten any of you. But please take it as a warning.”

Hashirama slightly started when a delicate hand was placed on his upper arm. “Thank you Hashirama. We appreciate your hospitality and will respect your wishes.”

“Ah, thank you. Uhm. Do you want to rest a little before I introduce you to my clan elders and later my brother and Touka or do you want to go now?”

“Some rest would be appreciated. And some food if possible. We skipped launch.”

“Oh, of course. Let me just show you around, so you can settle while I bring you something to eat. I’ll also inform the elders that a meeting will be postponed to tomorrow.”, Hashirama lifted a hand, leaving Mito to close her mouth again before a single word could leave it, “It’s fine Mito-hime. You’re our guests. Please take your time. The elders can wait. For today, I’d just like to introduce you to my family, but this can also wait until later that day. My little brother and his son are probably sleeping right now anyway.”

“I see. May I ask if you like to join me for some tea after lunch? It hadn’t been long since you returned from the capital and I’m curious.”

“Sure. There are indeed a few things I haven’t mentioned in my last letter but are important.”

----

An hour before dinner, Hashirama led Mito to the main house. From within, they could hear Kagami’s laughter, growing louder with each step they took until it was interrupted by a smooth voice Mito assumed was Tobirama’s.

Hashirama and Mito didn’t enter the living room immediately, just watching for a moment. And Mito took in the scene before her like a sponge.

At a chabudai, a young, white-haired man with glasses sat cross-legged with a small boy on his lap, who was practicing his writing skills with a quill in his hand and bent over a sheet of paper spread out in front of them. Beside them lay a massive white tiger, its gaze fixed on her and Hashirama, though it showed no sign of aggression. Mito bowed her head slightly in a gesture of respect before turning her gaze back to Kagami, who was cheering at the completion of a kanji character, his arm with quill in hand above his head in a gesture of triumph.

“Careful Kagami. Or you'll spill even more ink everywhere.” It was a rebuke but spoken with an amusement and gentleness in the voice that only omegas could manage. And what a voice it was. Deep, deeper than Mito had expected for someone’s Tobirama’s age or second gender.

“Tobirama, Kagami. When you’re done I’d like to introduce you to our guest.” Two heads turned to them, and wouldn’t Mito know better she would have thought them mother and son by blood, even if they didn’t match in color.

Tobirama carefully removed the quill from Kagami’s hand and sat it down next to the paper. Then he helped Kagami up, though before he could stand himself, Hashirama ordered him to stay seated.

“Stay put, otouto.”

“But…”

“Please, there is no need, Tobirama-san. I’ll survive some impoliteness. And who am I to force a pregnant omega on his feet when I can easily sit down.” Mito interrupted with a smile and then sat down on the other side of the chabudai, across from them.

“Greetings. Uzumaki Mito, second princess of Uzushiogakure. It’s my pleasure to finally meet you.” She greeted them with a slight bow.

“Senju Tobirama, heir of the Senju clan. This is Uchiha Kagami, my son, and Arashi-sama, my newly found summon.” Tobirama introduced, also giving a slight bow, which Kagami and Arashi mirrored when introduced as well. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Chapter Text

Two weeks had passed since the Senju had left the Uchiha compound, and one week since he had received the initial six-page draft of the peace treaty. Madara wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but it certainly hadn’t been a peace treaty so thorough that it left little room for objection.

There was almost everything inside. Starting with the points already agreed in the ceasefire up to the establishment of a neutral territory and beyond. Especially the last includes the founding of a village and much more important the equal representation of leadership and defense of it. But not only that. It also included the protection of clan identity, which meant that each clan retains the right to uphold its traditions, rituals, and Kekkei Genkai insofar as it posed no danger to the village and its inhabitants.

Furthermore, it meant that no external forces were permitted to interfere in internal clan affairs, be it a coup d’état within the clan or the punishment of its own members. In essence, all matters occurring within a clan were to remain internal. However, if a clan member committed an offense against someone outside the clan, the punishment would be carried out according to the laws established by the village.

However, to improve relations between clans the treaty also calls for joint Shinobi training sessions. That would mean each clan provides instructors that will equally train the next generations, at least when it comes to the basics. Those with a Kekkei Genkei will receive special training from their own clan. To make this possible, a shared academy for young Shinobi, no matter which clan or otherwise, will be established and maintained equally by all. This will allow camaraderie to develop and encourage mutual respect from an early age.

Another section was about secrecy and information sharing. The first included for example that no sensitive clan information would be shared with third parties. The second included the creation of a joint intelligence network and open communication about external threats.

And last but not least the clear definitions of treaty violations and sanctions that may include reparations or temporary exclusion from village decisions.

Madara was more than impressed and even the clan elders had not much to complain about. Now, it was about to define laws both clans agree to, how they will support each other in equal terms, and how they will fund their future village.

Of course, the Senju already listed a few things or made some suggestions, most of which Madara found unobjectionable. However, there were still a few items that required revision or were entirely absent, particularly concerning internal clan matters and the protocols to follow when an Uchiha died during joint missions.

So, in the last few days Madara made a few adjustments with help of Hikaku, who was equally impressed by the first draft as Madara had been. And when it was finally done, Madara couldn’t wait to send it straight back to the Senju.

He missed his omega. And he hoped Hashirama would send an invitation soon enough to talk about the changes. At least, Madara knew his omega was well. Kagami, too. Since the departure, Madara received twice per week a letter from Kagami. The first two Kagami reported his mother’s complaints about his ordered bed rest.  The other letters were about the arrival of Uzumaki Mito and her entourage, and how much he liked the princess. Though, there was someone among them who Kagami disliked. An omega, who often times had a strange look on his face when he saw Hashirama and/or Tobirama. Madara had frowned when he read the passage. He didn’t know if Tobirama read Kagami’s letters, therefore he wasn’t sure if he should ask the boy what he meant. But the thought of an omega looking at Tobirama strange didn’t sit well with Madara. So, he decided to write a letter with a few questions and instructions, and marked it as private, just meant for Kagami.

After that, Madara returned back to his other paperwork. There were several mission requests waiting and even more reports. With winter over, the full extent of damage became visible, and the list of needed repairs became endless. The shape of some houses was even so bad that any repair attempt would be useless.

"Argh, damn it! This is useless. There’s so much, I don’t even know where to start!" Madara shouted, slamming down what felt like the hundredth damage report.

“Madara.”

“Hikaku.”

Silence. Hikaku waited, but it seemed his clan head was busier with sulking.

The clan heir sighed. Since his omega was gone, Madara became more and more irritated. The entire ordeal with Izuna didn’t help either, but since then more than a week has passed, and still Madara grew more restless and tired.

Hikaku had told Madara about what he has seen, of course he did. Keeping something like this as a secret could have disastrous consequences. Madara had gritted his teeth and let Hikaku, and the twins check if there was anything wrong with him, but they had found nothing.

Izuna, on the other hand, was indeed possessed. As soon as Madara had recovered, he surprised Izuna at dinner. One moment they were talking the next Madara activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, invaded Izuna’s mind and pushed the intruder out, leaving an unconscious Izuna behind.

The intruder had immediately got restrained by Sango and Hikaku as soon as his body manifested. As it turned out, during one of Izuna’s missions he got injured in a fight. The wound wasn’t bad, but it allowed the enemy to infiltrate Izuna’s body via his blood system. However, Izuna wasn’t the end goal, it was Madara. The enemy waited for the perfect moment. Unlucky for him, Hikaku noticed and stopped it.

It took Izuna two days to wake up after. After that, Izuna seemed less hostile and more open to the idea of peace. Naturally, he was still pissed that an enemy got the better of him and wanted to use him, but there was less suspicion or hate in his voice when the topic of peace or Senju came up. More the opposite even. Izuna congratulated Madara on having found his mate and to be a father soon. He laughed and behaved like the past months never happened.

It pleased Madara, of course, to have his lovely brother back, but Hikaku had the feeling it all was just an act. This time, he didn’t say anything, though, and decided to just watch.

“Hey, Hikaku. What do you think how much it would cost us to rebuild the damaged houses?”

“Probably more than we can afford right now.”

“So, should we stick to our plan to use the money for building new houses where the village will be, instead of wasting it on repairs?”

“Would be my suggestion, yes. Perhaps we could repurpose some of the materials from the old houses in the construction of the new ones. It’d help sparring some money or investing it in other things, like buildings that will not just be for our use. A clinic, an academy, some kind of headquarter where the leadership of the village will have their office. Well, and not just that but many more things we have to consider. We need…”

“I know, I know. The costs will be enormous. Much to my dislike we might even have to ask the Daimyo for support.”

“The Daimyo. Do you think he might even agree to a village?” Madara froze for a second and then removed his eyes from the ceiling to look at Hikaku.

“Well, I guess we will find out when we represent him our peace treaty. It’s definitely a point I have to discuss with Hashirama. With the old Daimyo, I wouldn’t think it to be an issue. He wasn’t very fond of all the fights. The new Daimyo on the other hand. I don’t like him. His fixation on Tobirama and his attempt to marry him off to one of those two alphas from Kawa no Kuni.”

“Now that you mentioned it. Did we receive any news from Sango and Touka-san?”

“Hm. They entered Kawa no Kuni two days ago and are now gathering information among the common folk. It’ll be another two days before we receive an update.”

“I see.”

“Eh. I have enough for today. I need some fresh air.” Madara stood and stretched his limps before heading to do the door. “See you later.”

Hikaku watched Madara go, and sighed, “Very well then.”

----

“Very interesting. And you’re sure you didn’t remove the block by yourself?”

“I haven’t touched it.”

“Hm. And no one else could have done it?”

“No. The only two people who I let anywhere near my stomach are Hashirama and Yumiko. Well, I let Madara touch it once, but I’d know if he had done something.”

“And during your visit in the temple? You said it happened there that Arashi-sama appeared.”

“Yes, I don’t remember what happened, nor do the others, but there was a bright light, and when it faded, Arashi was there, my Yukata was open, and the seal looked like this.” Tobirama pointed at the paper where he had drawn the seal. As much as he liked Mito, he didn’t feel comfortable enough exposing himself to her just after a week of getting to know her.

“How remarkable. A summoning contract, sealed right into the skin of its user. The block prevented you from calling Arashi and camouflage it as something else.”

"Indeed. I thought that once the block was removed, the seal would vanish and reveal the scroll containing the contract, or whatever else might have been hidden. Who had thought the contract in itself was written into my skin."

“Indeed. Now, with one puzzle solved, what about the other? You told me about a seal on Uchiha Madara that blocks his memory.”

“Yes. We think I have the same seal on me, but we haven’t checked yet.”

“Do you want me to check it now, or do you want to wait until you have given birth?”

“Preferably after the birth. The seal only appeared when Madara’s cousin, Hikaku-san, attempted to probe his memories of the day of conception. And I’d rather not risk a head stroke so short to the end of pregnancy. We could also ask Madara, but he doesn’t think it’d be a good idea as long as no proper peace treaty has been signed. Which is understandable, all things considered.”

“True. Hm, Hashirama told me about your jutsus and seals. Do you need any help with one of them?”

“Actually, I’ve been working on something a bit tricky. It’s a kind of space-time jutsu that might let the user teleport from one point to another in the blink of an eye. The anchor points are seal markers infused with my chakra. That means if I place one of those seals on an object, I should be able to teleport to it from wherever I am, or that’s the idea, at least. I’m guessing there will be a range limit, but I won’t know for sure until I test it.”

“Interesting and certainly very useful, but also dangerous.”

Tobirama laughed, “Well, I think it’s part of the job description. Creating new things always includes the risk of it exploding in your face.”

“You speak out of experience?”

Tobirama’s grin turned to a pout, “Three times, it only happened three times. Considering how many jutsus and seals I created, it’s nothing.” Mito laughed at the sudden change of Tobirama’s expression.

“Well, shall I have a look at your new creation?”

“It’s not finished yet, but I’d appreciate the opinion of an expert.”

“Very well then. How could I refuse such offer. I’d like to see your notes.”

“There are in my lab. If you excuse me for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

While Tobirama was gone, Mito took the chance to refill the teapot. It had been only a week since her arrival, yet in that short time, she had earned enough trust from the brothers for them to leave her alone with Tobirama.

Mito took no offense that the trust wasn’t extended to her clan members as well, not yet. And she might know why, had she seen the looks a specific omega in her group was giving the Senju brothers during meals or discussions. It was something she had feared might happen when her father announced who her escorts would be. Unfortunately, she couldn’t just send the omega home so shortly after their arrival, but she knew she needed to do it soon.

Anyway, during the first couple of days, it was always Hashirama or Touka present. But Touka was send on a mission together with an Uchiha woman. Mito didn’t know what the mission was about, neither did she ask. It wasn’t her place, not yet, to ask just questions and therefore kept to the reasons she was here.

With Touka gone, opportunities to learn more about the omega and his inventions became scarce. That is, until Tobirama managed to convince his brother that it would be safe to leave him alone with Mito. Well, almost alone. Kagami, after all, rarely strayed far from his mother’s side or sight, which Mito found kind of adorable.

The little boy was a delight and even if he might not be Hashirama’s son, it was still a pleasure to see how much he cared about his nephew. Hashirama would be a great father, of that Mito was sure about. Unfortunately, with them being both alphas the chance of conceiving was low.

The reason is that, like omega males, alpha females possess both male and female reproductive organs. However, like alpha males, they primarily mate with omegas, regardless of the omega’s primary sex. As a result, alpha females produce fewer eggs, since their bodies are primarily focused on generating sufficient sperm to impregnate their mate. A similar principle applies to male omegas, whose bodies prioritize the production of fertile eggs over sperm. In short, male omegas are about as unlikely to impregnate someone as female alphas are to conceive.

Still, Mito remains optimistic that destiny will grant her and Hashirama at least with one child. After all, it wouldn’t have chosen them as life mates if it weren’t meant to be. And that was a fact, a truth confirmed the moment she first met him at the front gates two weeks ago. And Hashirama knew it as well.

When he joined her later that same day, they spoke as if they had known each other for years. At times, he grew a little awkward, even shy. Something she found endearing and utterly charming. But when their conversation shifted to more serious matters, she caught glimpses of a darker side to his personality: hard, cold, possessive, and fiercely protective, to name just a few traits that surfaced. There was no doubt in her mind that behind his warm smiles and easy laughter lurked a dangerous predator, one ready to strike without hesitation if anyone dared to threaten his family.

Something she could compete with. Could she herself be a deadly predator when necessary.

And in case of Tobirama. One look at Hashirama when they observed his brother was enough to know who his priority was and probably will always be. He had warned her, but it was only when she saw and smelled the omega for the first time that she truly understood.

To think that Tobirama was afraid of losing his brother to her was almost ridiculous. Something Hashirama told her shortly before he introduced her to his brother. Of course, she kept this little detail to herself, sure Tobirama wouldn’t have liked it if his brother had told her about it.

Still, it was something she noticed for herself during the first two days. Tobirama sometimes had this strange look whenever he watched them leaving, and it made Mito upset to think it was because of her. Luckily, the looks became rarer the more days passed until after a week they disappeared completely.

It made her immensely happy when Tobirama told Hashirama that he would be fine with her alone.

“Mito. Tobirama. Oh, where is my otouto?” Mito turned to the voice of her life mate and saw Hashirama searching for his brother with his eyes.

“Tobi will be right back. He had gone to his lab to retrieve some notes he wanted me to look over.”

“Ah, I see. And where is Kagami?”

“In Tobirama’s room, having a nap.”

“Oh, he must have been more tired than I thought after our training this morning.”

“Yes, he almost fell asleep during launch. It was cute.”

“I can imagine.” Hashirama laughed while sitting down at the chabudai.

“We have missed you. Did something happen?”

“Not really, just a lot of reports that I needed to finish and a few mission assignments. Now that the winter is over and the Daimyo’s court behind us, we receive a lot requests.”

“I see. And what exactly brings you here then? You sounded rather excited.”

“Oh, I am. I received a message from Madara. Attached was our first draft of peace treaty with his own notes and additions.”

“That was quick.” Mito stated.

“I assume he and his elder council liked our first version then?” With a big smile Hashirama turned to his brother.

“Mostly, yes. There is only little that they have complaints about and Madara added some points that were missing. Ah, Otouto. I’m so proud of you. Without you, I’m sure my own version of a peace treaty would have been a mess and would probably have taken months to get to this point.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Anija. You may like to play dumb, but you’re far away to be it.”

“Oh, Otouto, come here.” Hashirama spread his arms with some tears forming in his eyes, touched that his brother thought he was smart. Tobirama rolled his eyes, already regretting having said anything. Still, he didn’t deny his brother the hug he wanted and stepped into his waiting arms, just to end up in his brother’s lap instead.

“Anija.”

“No Otouto, you deserve a proper thank you and that means a throughout cuddle time.” Tobirama turned bright red, not because he disliked being cuddled, but because it happened right in front of Mito, who watched them in amusement. It was truly embarrassing.

Two hours later, Hashirama sent another message to Madara, inviting the Uchiha clan head to the Senju compound with a promise of safe passage and lodging.

Chapter Text

Time passed faster than Madara could blink. Not that he complained about it. He wanted nothing more than to see his omega, his eight months pregnant omega.

It had been another two weeks since Hashirama’s invitation to peace talks reached him. The talks would usually happen somewhere on neutral ground, which could be either a neutral village, clan or even somewhere in the wilderness beneath makeshift tents set up for the occasion.

This time would be an exception. The talks would take place in the Senju compound and likely continue either until the contract was signed or until Tobirama gave birth. As neutral parties, Madara and Hashirama agreed to invite Mito-hime, as representative of Uzushiogakure, as well as the Sarutobi and Nara clans to participate in the talks. Mito agreed immediately, was she already present anyway, and the other two clans also agreed to send a small delegation each to watch the proceedings.

To be honest, Madara was a little surprised that Sarutobi and Nara agreed, after all, they wouldn’t be truly on neutral territory and should something go wrong then…Ah, better not think about it. Nothing would happen. Madara trusted Hashirama and vice versa.

“Are you ready Madara? The others are already waiting.”

“I’m ready, Hikaku. Let’s go.”

----

Tobirama, hand in hand with Kagami, stood beside Hashirama at the Senju gate. A couple of hours ago, Hashirama had sensed Madara along with six members of his clan entering their territory. Now they were only a few minutes away.

In his free hand, Tobirama held the fan Madara had once gifted him. As the Uchiha delegation came into view, he lifted it with a smooth motion, unfolding it to hide the lower half of his face.

Madara’s eyes locked onto the fan instantly, and a sharp grin curled his lips. Then his gaze lowered, settling on Tobirama’s midsection, where the swell of his pregnancy was now far more pronounced than it had been just a month ago. Madara’s eyes softened at the view.

“Mada-nii, Hikaku-oji, hello.” Kagami called out, waving enthusiastically with his free hand. Madara’s attention immediately shifted to the small boy at his omega’s side, his smile growing bigger. Kagami looked healthy and very happy, not that Madara expected anything else.

“Yo, Kags. Have you missed us?”

“Not really.” Madara’s smile faltered, his lips twitching and a faint crease forming between his brows.

“Should have known it. You love your mother much more than us.”

“Yup.”

“Traitor.” Madara muttered. Kagami, utterly unfazed, only grinned brighter, threw his little arms around Tobirama’s waist and stuck his tongue out at Madara in triumph, whose brow twitched even more at the display.

Behind the fan Tobirama had to fight a grin, while Hashirama laughed openly at the face his friend was making.

“Stop laughing, you twit. I bet it’s all your fault.” Madara yelled with a fist directed in Hashirama’s direction.

Still grinning, Hashirama held up his hands in defense, “Madara, my friend. There is no reason to be jealous.”

“Who do you call jealous? I’m not jealous of a five-year-old brat.”

“If you say so.”

“Yes, I say so. So, stop grinning like a fool.” Instead of following the order, another giggle escaped Hashirama’s mouth. Madara stared at him for a moment, then sighed in defeat. He dropped his head with a long-suffering groan, composed himself, and straightened up, slipping back into the posture befitting a clan head.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group could only stare, most of them with their mouths slightly agape, their eyes constantly moving forth and back from one clan head to the other.

Tobirama snapped his fan shut with a flick of his wrist. “Anija, stop teasing and greet our guests properly,” he interjected, his tone calm but laced with quiet amusement. The glint in his eyes did not go unnoticed, and a faint flush crept into Madara’s cheeks.

“Right, right. Sorry.” Hashirama cleared his throat before offering a respectful bow toward Madara. “Welcome, Uchiha-sama. We are very grateful and honored for the trust you’ve placed in us to host these peace talks in our home. You have my word that no harm will befall you or your companions. Should an attack occur despite our precautions, you have full permission to defend yourselves. I only ask that you spare their lives so we can determine whether they acted alone or at the command of another. Regardless of the truth, their punishment will be either death or exile.”

‘Oh?’, Madara thought, ‘…Interesting' Madara’s gaze lingered on the Senju leader. The words were sincere, of that he had no doubt, but they were also too precise, too sharp-edged to be Hashirama’s alone. This kind of speech meant to reassure allies while quietly putting enemies in their place before they even spoke.

There was no question whose hand had shaped it. When his eyes shifted to Tobirama, he caught the faintest curl at the corner of the omega’s mouth and the cool steadiness in his gaze.

‘My clever little moon flower.’ His lips curved, not with the sharp edge of battle but with the slow pull of something warmer. ‘You think I don’t see? I see, and I trust you. So let me not disappoint you.’

With a respectful bow of his own toward Hashirama, Madara replied, loud enough for all to hear, “Thank you, Senju-sama. We are likewise honored by the trust you show in inviting us into your home. You have my word that we will respect your hospitality and keep to the areas permitted to us. And, of course, I promise that no harm will befall your clan, unless provoked. Should one of my own behave disrespectful against better judgement, then I’ll strip them from the Uchiha name immediately, and take their eyes.” A few choked noises run through the clearing, which meant the message had been understood.

Tobirama watched the exchange with quiet satisfaction. He had seen the recognition in Madara’s eyes when they’d met his own, and he was more than pleased with the Uchiha’s reply. When Madara straightened, their eyes locked fully, the formality around them melting into something far more intimate.

----

“Never thought I’d ever step foot in the Senju compound. It’s…kind of weird.”

“I know what you mean,” Hashirama laughed. “It was the same for me when I stayed at the Uchiha compound.”

Once everyone was settled in their temporary shelter, Hashirama invited Madara and Hikaku into the main house for a private meeting before the official negotiations began.

“You have an impressive home,” Madara remarked, glancing around the wide halls. “It seems bigger than the Uchiha main house.”

“Not really. It only looks that way, because of the adjustments I had to make to fit my brother’s lab.”

Madara’s attention shifted immediately. “You have a lab?”, he asked Tobirama.

“Yes. I needed to distract myself from what Butsuma did to me, so I created it. It also became my safe haven whenever Hashirama or Touka were away on missions. I even managed to keep it a secret from Butsuma. After his death, Anija made some adjustments so it would fit better into the structure of the main house.”

Madara tilted his head. “But…what if something goes wrong? Don’t you worry about blowing up the entire house?” That earned him an incredulous look.

“How many times must I repeat myself? Three. It only happened three times that one of my experiments exploded in my face, and I’ve done hundreds of them.” The sharpness in Tobirama’s tone caught both Madara and Hikaku off guard. Madara instinctively raised his hands in defense.

“Ah, sorry. I was just curious. I meant no offense.” He pressed his palms together as if in prayer, closed his eyes, and gave a small bow.

Tobirama blinked at him. “What are you doing?”

“Apologizing?”

“For what?”

“I upset you.”

“Oh. That’s…very nice.”

Madara opened one eye to check his omega’s expression and felt a flicker of panic when he saw Tobirama swiping away tears.

“Tobirama?”

“I’m fine. Just…stupid mood swings.”

“Come, Otouto. Let’s sit down. You too, Madara, Hikaku.” Hashirama slipped an arm around his brother’s waist, who still held hands with Kagami, and guided them toward the living room. “Kagami, why don’t you tell Madara and your uncle about your time here? I’ll bring tea.”

Kagami nodded, climbing into his mother’s lap after Hashirama helped him sit and launched into an eager, uninterrupted stream of chatter before Madara or Hikaku could even take their seats.

----

The next day, Hashirama welcomed the Sarutobi and Nara delegations at the gates. His words were warmer, focused on thanking them for serving as witnesses, though he couldn’t prevent adding a subtle threat should they try to sabotage the peace talks.

The Sarutobi and Nara refrained from taking any offense and just returned their own greetings before following Hashirama into the compound.

In the evening, everyone was invited to the council chambers, a space large enough to accommodate all the guests as well as the few Senju who would participate in the negotiations. There was no real tension here, just the ceremony of tradition. They took their time to introduce themselves and to explain proceedings that would follow in the coming days or weeks. Afterwards, the Senju served a variety of warm and cold dishes alongside hot sake.

The atmosphere was relaxed and conversations flowing easy and calm. One member of the Nara clan even found the courage to approach Tobirama. The Nara clan was known for their intelligence, their ability to manipulate shadows and their wide knowledge of medicine. It was hardly surprising that the Nara would be drawn to him, after all Tobirama’s own brilliance was well known across all clans as well as the Senju’s medical expertise.

Hashirama was very happy to see his brother making a friend, Madara not so much. He wanted his omega’s attention for himself. Pouting Madara drank one cup of sake after another, his eyes never leaving Tobirama. Meanwhile, Hashirama happily matched him drink for drink, and before long, both were thoroughly drunk.

They didn’t even notice when Tobirama left together with Mito, who returned later alone. When asked, she explained Tobirama was tired and therefore retreated for the night.

It was also Mito who eventually drew the evening to a close, guiding the guests to their quarters.

Of course, Hashirama apologized the next morning, not only to Mito but also to his baby brother, who had purposely sealed his door to keep a drunken Hashirama out. Tobirama merely waved him off with a short, “Don’t do it again.”, before sliding a cup of tea toward him. Hashirama smiled in thanks, only to nearly spit it back out the moment the bitterness hit his tongue.

“Tobi, why?” Hashirama whined.

“Consider it your punishment,” Tobirama replied, utterly devoid of pity or remorse. “And be assured Madara received the same treatment for his headache he’s certainly suffering from.” 

“You’re so mean.”

“And you know how much I hate it when you drink too much. So, stop whining and finish the tea.” Hashirama flinched at the reminder and immediately felt guilty. Without another word, he downed the bitter brew until the entire pot was empty.

“I’m sorry, Otouto. I promise it won’t happen again.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” The distrust in Tobirama’s voice stung. So, Hashirama made a silent vow to never drink too much ever again, because his baby brother was right. A little sake now and then was harmless, but too much clouded judgment, led to foolishness, and left nothing but headaches and hazy memories. And let’s not forget the punishments. Really, he should be grateful it was only the tea. It was, after all, the gentlest option in the arsenal of creative torments Tobirama could choose from.

Elsewhere in the compound, Madara was thinking much the same while choking down his own cup in big, fast gulps. No alcohol was worth upsetting his omega, and certainly not worth earning this particular punishment.

At this time, he had no idea what other creative torments Tobirama had in his arsenal. But that changed a few hours later when Hashirama casually enlightened him during a break in the negotiations.  By the time his friend was done listing the alternatives, Madara knew they had been lucky. Very lucky. He swore then and there that he would never do anything that could earn him the wrath of his omega.

Chapter Text

The talks went more smoothly than Madara had expected. It had only been a week since they started to go through the peace treaty, and neither the Senju nor the Uchiha had much to complain about regarding the changes or additional clauses. The Nara as well as the Sarutobi were impressed by what it entailed, and soon enough they showed interest when it came to the idea of a shared village.

Conversations during meals became livelier, and the smile on Hashirama’s face grew wider with each day. Madara, however, grew more cautious with each passing day. Not because of the talks, but because of the omega from Uzushio. He didn’t do anything suspicious, but it was as Kagami had once written in a letter. There was something dark in the omega’s eyes whenever his gaze landed on Hashirama or Tobirama, and it was even more visible when either of the two spoke with Mito.

Jealousy, that was what Madara suspected. Mito was a strong alpha, Madara could tell. Her aura spoke of authority, and she didn’t quiver when he and Hashirama got a little too heated over what to do with criminals. Actually, argument wasn’t the right term, because it was more like a contest of who could come up with the most gruesome punishment for rapists. Funnily enough, Mito was the one who finally spoke up, suggesting castration while the perpetrator was kept awake and forced to watch. Which… was a good suggestion, and one both Madara and Hashirama agreed to without hesitation.

Anyway, Madara assumed the male omega hoped Mito would claim him. He didn’t really know what their relationship was like. Maybe at some point Mito had considered it, before she knew about Hashirama being her possible life mate. Or perhaps she had never been interested at all. Whatever the truth was, it was clear that the omega wanted her and couldn’t accept being outclassed by an alpha.

In Tobirama’s case, Madara assumed it had to do with him being a male omega, a pregnant one at that, and not mated. Male omegas were the rarest, closely followed by female alphas. Omegas in general were known to be very territorial, even more so than alphas. They didn’t tolerate other omegas being close to their mate, except for their own child. Even omega siblings had to be careful not to get too close to one’s chosen mate.

When two omegas set their eyes on the same alpha, it could get ugly, especially when the alpha showed interest in one but hadn’t claimed them yet. That had been the case during the banquet, when that stupid alpha female spread her pheromones around the courtroom to draw Tobirama’s attention. Tobirama hadn’t liked her scent, but dozens of other omegas had been drawn to it and wanted the female alpha’s attention. They had released their own pheromones in return, which only worsened Tobirama’s state and was one of the reasons they had retreated to the garden.

Later, Madara heard of five female omegas who had gotten into a fight, all of them interested in that one stupid alpha female. It had only taken one alpha command to separate them again, but the fight still ended with bloodied scratches. Nothing major, but still dangerous. Shinobi were better at keeping control, but if they weren’t, fights like that could easily end in death. And no matter how good the training is, control could always slip.

Omegas were most dangerous when they had pups. During pregnancy they had barely any control over their emotions because of the hormonal changes, and after birth they became even more territorial than before. Madara had no doubt Tobirama would beat the life out of any omega who dared make a move on him, mated or not.

That was a general matter they would also have to think about in the future. Inner clan fights were one thing, but conflicts outside of the clan were something else. And that went not only for mating matters, but for everything connected to the secondary genders, like ruts and heats.

Well, the latter was rather easy, because most clans already practiced it. Shinobi as well as civilians had learned to control themselves when near an alpha in rut or an omega in heat. There would be no difference made between them, including those without any clan affiliation.

Mating matters, though, were far more complicated. They would have to find a way to handle it if the parties involved weren’t all from the same clan. Maybe some kind of hunt, where several omegas interested in one alpha would run, and the alpha would pursue the one he truly wanted. At least that way, only those omegas willing to be chosen would take part, and there would be no question of someone being forced.

For the opposite case, when several alphas desired the same omega, controlled fights might be the solution. A contest of strength and endurance, but with clear rules so no one was seriously harmed. The winner would then earn the first right to court the omega without interference from the others. It wouldn’t mean the omega had to accept, of course, but it would at least prevent constant challenges and chaos.

Such things were rare inside a single clan and usually settled quickly, but in a village made up of many clans and countless outsiders, it could easily become a serious problem if no order was established from the start.

Either way, regarding the omega from Uzushio, it was obvious he had a clear interest in Mito and a big problem with Tobirama being near her, even though Tobirama himself had never shown any interest in the female alpha. Their relationship was no more than friendship. There were no improper touches, no telltale shifts in scent, nothing that would give Madara reason to intervene. Tobirama was, after all, his future mate. And if Mito had shown improper interest, then Madara would have every reason to be upset. But since that wasn’t the case, he stayed relaxed. 

----

It happened without anyone seeing it coming. A moment Madara would never forget for the rest of his life, because he blamed himself for it completely. Mito did too, as she admitted later.

During a meeting, Tobirama excused himself with a short, “Excuse me, but the baby loves to use my bladder as a punching bag.”

Ten minutes later, the most horrified scream echoed through the halls, a scream only a child could make. Madara recognized it instantly as Kagami’s voice and was out of his seat before anyone could even ask what was happening. Hashirama was faster, though, already on his feet before the sound even reached them.

All color drained from Madara’s face when he saw Tobirama curled up on the ground. He didn’t understand what he was looking at until his eyes landed on the huge tiger standing on the engawa, growling deeply at something caught under its massive claw.

Madara didn’t hear the shocked gasps behind him, nor did he notice Mito passing by on her way to where Hashirama had dropped to his knees beside his brother. His entire attention was fixed on the omega who screamed to be let go, insisting he had done nothing wrong, that he was only defending himself.

Madara could feel his alpha rage rising. That omega—that blasted omega—had dared to harm his mate. His pregnant mate. He wanted nothing more than to rip his throat out. But then a desperate scream cut through his fury, and his head snapped toward Hashirama, who had rolled Tobirama onto his back.

“Otouto.”

“Anija, it’s… the baby… it hurts so much… please.”

Madara barely registered when elder Yumiko, one of the healers, knelt beside them.

“His amniotic fluid broke. Hashirama, we need to take him to the healer halls. Tobirama, darling, did you have any cramps before the fall?”

“N-no. Just those false con…contractions. The last…hours ago. B-but my stomach, it hurts.”

“Any cramps now?”

“I-I don’t… not certain… it hurts.” Yumiko bit her lip and carefully pressed her hand against the swollen belly. Tobirama flinched at the touch.

“Hashirama, focus your healing on his womb. His stomach is hard and sensitive to pain. That means the placenta might be close to detaching.”

“What does that mean?”

“That we have to prevent it from happening. Otherwise, both Tobirama’s and the child’s life are at risk. So far I don’t see blood or other signs, which means is probably still attached to the uterus, but that might change at any moment. And with his waters broken, I need to check if labor has started.”

“Labor? He… he can’t be in labor. It’s too early,” Hashirama stammered, though he still obeyed Yumiko’s instructions.

“It’s fine. He may not have reached the full nine months, but he’s close enough for safe delivery. Still, I need to check the baby’s position and see if there are other complications.”

“Is it… is it even safe to move him?”

“We have no choice. It’s either the healing halls or his nest, though I’d prefer the former. He needs a clean environment, especially if I’m forced to cut the baby out.”

“Cut…”

“It’s the last option. Not one I want to consider right now, but it may become necessary.”

“A-anija…” Hashirama’s gaze snapped down to Tobirama’s face. His brother’s eyes were closed, his skin pale and sweaty, but his features had softened slightly, as if some of the pain had eased. His voice, however, sounded far away, almost as if he were drifting into sleep.

“Otouto…”

A hand on his arm stopped him. Elder Yumiko met his eyes.

“It’s alright. Let him sleep. It’s a good sign. It means your healing is working. He’ll need the strength later.”

“Hashi…”

“Not now, Mito. I… please…”

“I understand. And I’m sorry. Be assured this will not be without consequences.” Hashirama nodded, though he couldn’t look at her. His eyes stayed locked on his brother’s face. He knew Mito wasn’t to blame, but it had been one of her clan members who had done this. And deep down, he suspected she had known the omega might become a problem.

“Hashirama. We need to…”

“His nest. I know you would prefer the healer halls, but Tobirama wanted to give birth in his nest.”

“It’s alright. Let’s take him there, then. Just a moment.” Hashirama didn’t move or look up when Yumiko called for her apprentice. Instead, he startled when Madara suddenly crouched beside him.

“Is… is he alright? The… the baby?”

“They’re fine. But Tobirama’s water broke, and I…” Hashirama took a shaky breath. “…you’re going to be a father very soon, my friend.”

“Oh.”

“Ah, Madara-sama. If Hashirama-sama agrees, perhaps you could carry Tobirama.”

“He can.”

“Perfect. Then I suggest Madara-sama carry him, while you focus on your healing.”

Both alphas nodded. Together, they shifted Tobirama carefully into Madara’s arms. When Madara stood, Hashirama glanced up, but the courtyard was empty. He could have sworn there had been people watching.

“Don’t worry.”, Madara muttered, “Two of your elders cleared the area. Hikaku is taking care of Kagami. And Mito is off to… deal with things.” He didn’t want to think about that omega again. His only satisfaction was that Tobirama had managed to land a good hit on him before falling from the engawa.

----

Madara was pacing outside the room where his mate was giving birth. When they had brought him there, Madara had carefully placed Tobirama into his nest. It was a big nest, clearly made to house more than just one person, and Madara could smell Hashirama and Kagami within it. There was another scent as well, subtler, that he guessed belonged to the kunoichi he had met after they dealt with that group of bloodline thieves some weeks ago, the one currently on a mission with his cousin Sango.

It was a beautiful nest, well-made and comforting, filled with soft blankets and a big thick fur that had, for now, been set aside to avoid staining it with the fluids that would soon come with birth.

When his hands were finally free, the healer asked him to prepare hot water and towels. Not truly knowing where everything could be found, it took him a little while to get it, mostly going to his own temporary shelter among the Senju compound to gather the stuff.

When he returned, Yumiko had just draped a blanket over Tobirama’s lower half. She wasn’t happy with the situation, but she wasn’t panicking either. Still, Madara couldn’t stop himself from asking, “How are he and the baby?”

“For now, they are both fine. Luckily, the baby has already turned and is in the right position. Unfortunately, it hasn’t dropped yet.”

“Dropped?”

“Yes. Normally it happens a few days before labor starts. First, the baby turns—head down, feet up. Then it slowly starts to slide down into the pelvic area, and the belly visibly drops with it. Once that’s done, it usually only takes a few days, sometimes hours, before the first contractions begin. But Tobirama’s baby hasn’t dropped yet, which is quite problematic.”

“How so?”

“Because his water has already broken. Normally, that happens after contractions begin and the cervix is starting to open. It can happen shortly after the first contractions, or just before active labor, which means when the cervix is almost fully open, and the mother is ready to push. But Tobirama wasn’t ready yet. Due to the impact, his cervix opened, not enough for immediate birth, but far enough that it won’t close again. And that, without contractions having even started.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t fully follow. Could you explain, in short, what exactly happens now?”

“Now we wait, and hope labor begins within the next five or six hours. I don’t want to wait longer, because of the amount of fluid he’s already lost, and because of the risk to the placenta. If it detaches before the birth…”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.” Madara interrupted with a slight, almost pleading tone. He couldn’t handle hearing the risks again, not when his chest was already so tight with fear.

After a moment, he asked quietly, “What happens if labor doesn’t start?”

“Then we’ll have to induce it. We could do so now, but I’d rather wait. Forcing labor is never ideal, it only increases the risks.”

“I… I see. Is there anything else I can do?”

“Madara. If you don’t mind, would you please inform everyone that negotiations will be delayed for at least two days? If that’s acceptable.” Hashirama requested.

“Of course. I couldn’t continue them like nothing happened, not any time soon. I’d even say we delay three or four days. We’ve made good progress. Some delay won’t kill us. And I’d rather have Tobirama present when we sign it.”

“That’s… good. Four days, then. Let the elders, Senju and Uchiha, review what we’ve discussed so far. Your elders could also write to the rest of your council and ask for their input. Tajima-san isn’t here, nor your siblings. You could let them know and… maybe invite them. I’m sure they’d want to meet the newest family member.”

“Is that invitation also meant for Izuna, or just…” Hashirama flinched at the name, and Madara didn’t fault him. Izuna was different now, freed from possession, but that didn’t mean his views had changed. Even Madara wasn’t sure if he could fully trust him.

“Forget it. They’ll meet the child after the treaty is signed, and when Tobirama has recovered.”

Hashirama’s shoulders relaxed slightly in relief. He liked Tajima and the twins, but Izuna… that was another matter.

“I’ll inform the others, then return.”

Now, twenty hours later, Madara had been banned from the room, or rather he had banned himself. He could hear Tobirama’s screams, hoarse from exhaustion. He wanted desperately to be inside, but he couldn’t. Yes, Tobirama was giving birth to his child. Yes, he was courting him. But they weren’t mated yet. He wouldn’t intrude on Tobirama’s privacy. They may have shared a bed once, but neither remembered it.

More than that, he didn’t want to be in the way if something went wrong. If the healer was forced to cut Tobirama open, Madara wasn’t sure he could control his alpha. It was safer for everyone if he waited outside.

“I can see the head, Tobirama. Just a little more.”

“I… I can’t…”

“You can. Don’t give up, otouto. It’s almost over.”

Madara leaned his forehead against the shoji, listening to the muffled voices. Tobirama’s labor had started exactly six hours after his water broke. They had been ready to intervene, but then Tobirama groaned in pain. They waited, and two hours later it was certain, those were contractions.

When Yumiko announced she would check Tobirama’s cervix, Madara excused himself. Hashirama had given him a grateful look. He wouldn’t have pushed Madara out, Madara knew, and respected him for it.

Since then, twelve more hours had passed. Madara could only imagine how exhausted Tobirama was. He had tried to stay strong, tried not to scream through the contractions, but eventually even he couldn’t bear it, especially with a broken hip bone. It must have fractured in the fall, then fully broken under the pressure of labor.

It was heartbreaking. Madara didn’t understand why his omega had to endure such pain. A year ago, he might have thought differently, but now, knowing him, he couldn’t find a single reason.

Another bone-rattling scream tore through the air… and then another, higher and thinner. Madara froze, staring wide-eyed at the door.

“You did it, otouto!”, came Hashirama’s cheerful voice.

“Congratulations, Tobirama. You have a beautiful little…” Madara’s ears roared. What was it? A boy? A girl? Why couldn’t he hear? Damn it, he needed to know.

He didn’t know how long he stared, but then the shoji slid open and Hashirama beamed at him, pulling him into a crushing hug. Over his shoulder, Madara saw Tobirama propped up in his nest, wrapped in a yukata and blanket. He looked exhausted, but he was smiling down at a tiny bundle in his arms.

Madara couldn’t wait. With a rougher shove than intended, though it barely affected Hashirama, he broke free and approached, eyes locked on the child. Carefully, so as not to startle Tobirama, he knelt beside the nest and leaned forward.

And there it was. His baby with a mob of black hair on its head. The skin was darker, also like Madara’s. But the face… the face was Tobirama’s. The nose, the lips, the eyebrows, it was Tobirama’s image, colored by Madara.

Madara’s eyes met Tobirama’s. “They… they’re beautiful. As beautiful as you are.”

Flushing, Tobirama looked at him. Then, in a raspy voice, he said, “They have your coloring. And your eyes.”

Madara blinked, startled, and looked down again. The bundle stirred, tiny eyes opening.

“Their eyes are blue,” Madara said, frowning in confusion. “How can you tell they’re mine?”

“Because when I was born, my eyes were red. Blue is the natural color all newborns are born with, except those with my genetics. I’m fairly certain that in a few days, our daughter’s eyes will turn into a beautiful onyx, just like her father’s.”

Madara’s breath caught. His lips parted. “Did you…did you just say daughter?”

“Yes. We have a beautiful little daughter.”

“Daughter,” he whispered, staring down. “I have a daughter. Kami, I’m a father. To a daughter.”

Tobirama laughed softly at his stunned face. Hashirama, who had joined quietly, also snickered. Madara turned on him. “Why are you laughing? This isn’t funny.”

“It is. But there’s still one thing left to do.”

“And what’s that?”

“Giving her a name, of course.”

Madara froze, then looked from Hashirama to Tobirama, to his daughter, then back to Tobirama, who was watching him with amusement.

“I… haven’t thought of one. Did you?”

“I did. Though I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

“Tell me.”

“Yume. Senju Yume, for now. After we mate, she’ll be Uchiha Yume.”

“Yume,” Madara repeated, testing the sound. “Dream.” For a moment, his gaze went distant. Then he focused again, smiling brightly, and nodded once, sharp and sure.

“Yume. I like it. It fits. It feels like a dream coming true.”

His smile widened, and he leaned forward to press a careful kiss to Tobirama’s forehead, resting his own against it afterward. Staring into Tobirama’s tired eyes, he whispered, “Thank you, Tobirama. For not giving up. For being strong. For giving me a daughter. Thank you. For that alone, I will love you forever.”

Flushed, Tobirama said nothing, too overwhelmed to reply. Madara didn’t mind. He was already looking down at his daughter again, who had curled one tiny hand around his finger.

“Yume,” he whispered. “You’re indeed a dream coming true.”

Chapter Text

“Kagami. I promise your mother is fine.”

“H-How do y-you know? Why can’t I see Kaasan?” The little boy sobbed in Hikaku’s arms.

Since the incident, almost a full day had passed. Hikaku was worried, of course he was, but he knew he had to stay strong for his nephew. He had caught only a glimpse of Madara earlier, gathering towels and other supplies, not long after Tobirama had been carried into the main house.

When someone asked what was going on, Madara had answered tightly, lips pressed thin, that Tobirama’s water had broken after the fall and that they needed to prepare for the baby’s arrival. As soon as she heard, Elder Masumi had stepped in to help Madara, and he had given her a brief, grateful look. She might have been an alpha and never given birth herself, but she knew what was needed after supporting her own omega through pregnancy and labor.

Before disappearing again, Madara had stopped just long enough to reassure Kagami that everything would be fine. It would have been more convincing if there hadn’t been a flicker of panic in his eyes.

Since then, Hikaku had tried his best to keep Kagami distracted. He had let him repeat what he’d learned so far, told him stories about his parents (a mistake, since it reminded Kagami that his biological mother had died giving birth to him), and even trained with him in the small garden.

But the night was as restless as the hours before. Hikaku wished someone, anyone, would come to give them an update.

“Your mother is giving birth to your little sibling. We need to be patient. This can take many, many hours, and it is also a very private moment not everyone is allowed to see.”

“But it’s m-my sibling, m-my mother,” Kagami whispered, voice trembling with frustration.

“I know, Kagami. But…”

“Kagami.” Elder Masumi’s voice cut in, seeing Hikaku struggle to explain what the child needed to understand. “During labor, usually only one or two healers are present, and perhaps an omega sibling or parent. Even alpha mates are not always welcomed inside, because of their protective and aggressive instincts. You may ask Madara later if he was allowed to be there, but I would bet he wasn’t. He is likely pacing outside the door right now, making sure no one dares to intrude.”

“But why can’t I?” Kagami asked, his frustration growing.

“Because you would be a distraction for your mother. And that is something Tobirama-sama cannot afford right now. Labor is not peaceful, Kagami. It is long, it is painful. You would see things no child should see, hear things no mother would want their child to hear. Your mother is a proud Shinobi, a strong omega. He would try to hide his pain just so you wouldn’t be frightened. And that is something he cannot afford, not now. Do you understand?”

“I…I think so.” Kagami whispered, curling tighter into Hikaku’s embrace.

“I know it’s hard, little one.” Masumi said softly. “And many would say it isn’t fair. But believe me, once you see your little sibling, you’ll forget all of this waiting, all of this worry. And your mother will too. The pain will be forgotten the moment he holds his baby in his arms.”

They had spoken a little more when quick steps approached. Alarmed, they looked up, just in time to see Madara, grinning brightly.

Kagami wriggled out of Hikaku’s arms and ran straight to him. “Mada-nii! Where’s kaasan? Is he alright? My sibling, are they here?”

With a happy laugh, Madara scooped Kagami up the moment he reached him, tossing him lightly into the air before catching him again and holding him above his head. “Your mother is fine. And so is your sister.”

“S-sister? I have a sister?” Kagami’s face lit up with a wide grin.

“Yes. A beautiful baby sister.”

“Can, can I see her? And kaasan?”

“Yes, just give me a second.” Madara lowered Kagami onto his hip, then turned his gaze toward Masumi and Hikaku.

“Congratulations, Madara-sama.” Masumi said with a smile and a bow.

“Me too. Congratulations, cousin.” For once Hikaku dropped the formality and even clapped Madara on the shoulder.

“Thank you.”

“How is Tobirama-sama?” Hikaku asked. Madara’s bright smile dimmed a little, though the fondness never left his eyes.

“As I said, he is fine. Exhausted, sore, and probably still in pain, but fine. He will need to stay in bed for a few days, since his hip broke during the birth. It was likely already cracked from the fall. Still…” He exhaled, voice softening. “It could have been much worse.”

Both Masumi and Hikaku nodded grimly.

“Listen. Hashirama and I agreed to postpone the peace talks a little. Not long, just a few days. Four at most. We have already made good progress, and losing a little time will not hurt us. In fact, it may even help. You can review what we have discussed so far, report back to the other elders, maybe even ask for their input. I have not spoken with the Nara or Sarutobi yet, but…”

“Let us handle them,” Masumi cut in. “I doubt they will object to a short delay. From what I have seen, they are very curious about some parts of the treaty, especially those suggesting a shared village.”

“Yes, Hashirama and I noticed. That is exactly what we hoped for. You know our plan for the future.”

“Indeed.”

“Well then, let me know if any complaints arise about the delay. I will also introduce you to the new addition when Tobirama is well enough to leave his nest.”

“Madara, before you go. What about Tajima-sama and your siblings?”

“I will send them a letter myself and explain what had happened. There is no need to inform anyone else until we are back. So, please, do not mention anything to the other elders if you contact them.”

“Understood.”

With a final nod, Madara left, Kagami still perched happily on his hip.

----

Tobirama could not take his eyes off his daughter. Just an hour ago he had thought he would not be able to get her out, and yet here she was, lying in his arms and drinking greedily. She was so tiny, but that did nothing to lessen her hunger. Tobirama could not have been happier, even if his hip and several other parts of his body, he preferred not to think about, ached with soreness and pain.

Hashirama had done what he could to ease it, but a broken bone was not something that could be healed easily, and a broken hip in particular was far from pleasant. Tobirama would have gladly taken a broken leg or even an arm instead, or better yet, he wished it had never happened at all.

Damn that foolish omega from Uzushio. Tobirama still had no idea what his problem was. He had done nothing to him. They had never even spoken. Yes, he had noticed the way the man sometimes looked at Hashirama, but he had not realized those same looks were cast at him as well. Why would he? Mito was not his intended mate. Besides, he had been pregnant and practically promised to another alpha. He had behaved properly whenever speaking with Mito, and if he had not, Madara would surely have said something. But he had not, and that should have been enough for everyone else. If anything, that wretched omega should have gone after Hashirama, not him.

“Tobi? Is everything alright?”

The sudden touch on his shoulder made Tobirama flinch. Instinctively he tried to move away, but the shift jarred his hip, sending a sharp pain up his spine. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay still. At least he had enough presence of mind not to let go of his daughter, though she did not appreciate the interruption in her feeding. A sharp cry escaped her, her tiny body stiffening in protest.

“Ah, sorry, sorry. I did not mean to startle you.” Hashirama apologized with raised hands, careful not to touch Tobirama again.

“Calm down, Anija. If you do not mind, some pain relief would be appreciated,” Tobirama said through clenched teeth, all the while trying to soothe his daughter.

“Of course.”

Green light flared around Hashirama’s hands, immediately catching Yume’s attention. She stopped crying at once and fixed her gaze on the glow, her tiny eyes following it with fascination. Tobirama smiled at the sight, and Hashirama did the same, keeping one hand lifted so she would not grow upset again.

“Curious little thing,” Hashirama chuckled, while Tobirama felt his body begin to relax as the pain slowly receded.

Without taking her eyes from Hashirama’s glowing hand, which rested gently on Tobirama’s bruised shoulder, another reminder of the fall, Yume latched back onto the nipple to resume her feeding. It took her a few attempts, but she was undeterred.

“Otouto.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for not giving up.”

A slight frown appeared on Tobirama’s face. His gaze shifted briefly to Hashirama, whose eyes remained fixed on the bundle in his brother’s arms. Hashirama was not crying, astonishingly enough, but his eyes revealed more than words ever could.

“How could I? You would not have shut up otherwise. And my daughter…” Tobirama could not finish, because Hashirama shook his head.

“I don’t mean that. Well, I do, but not only that. I mean that you…” His voice broke, and he drew a shaky breath as tears finally welled up. “…Otouto, thank you for staying. For not leaving me. Not only now, but also back then when……when fa…Butsu…this man was still alive. I…I don’t know what I’d do without you and…and Tobi…I’m so grateful that…that you didn’t…that you didn’t take your sword that night.”

Tobirama’s eyes widened in shock, and at last Hashirama met his gaze.

“You…” Tobirama choked out.

“I saw, Otouto. I saw your face. I saw how you pressed your sword against…against your chest. I…I was ready to…to step in, but then…you let go. I heard it fall to the ground. I…didn’t dare come in right away, but I couldn’t leave you alone either. So, I…I pretended I had a nightmare that woke me.” A humorless laugh escaped him. “It was a nightmare, but not the kind you thought it was.”

“Anija.”

“We don’t have to speak of it, Tobirama. You don’t need to explain. I understand. It’s just…seeing your daughter. Seeing how you look at her. Seeing your smile. An honest, beautiful smile that I think I have never seen before. I…I am so grateful, Otouto. We both thought…thought this was never an option, but…but it happened. The circumstances…I know they aren’t what they should have been, but still…I cannot stop thinking that from now on things will be better. That the suffering is finally over. And…And I am so, so grateful that you didn’t give up.”

“Only…only because of you, Anija.”

“I know. And for so long I felt guilty. Guilty that I was the reason you stayed, guilty that I stopped you from finding peace. But…I was not done, Otouto. I…I wasn’t ready to let go.” Hashirama’s healing glow faded. His head bowed, and tears streamed from his closed eyes.

“Anija. It is alright. We both suffered. And we endured it together. You killed the monster that kept us both captives. And now…we are so close, Anija. Your dream, our dream, is only one step away. Let us focus on that.”

Tobirama reached out with one hand, placed a finger beneath his brother’s chin, and gently lifted his head so their eyes would meet again.

Hashirama obeyed, opening swollen eyes. Tobirama’s gaze was soft yet brimming with tears that slid down his pale cheeks.

“The present and the future are ours, Anija. Let us leave the past behind. Not forgotten, but no longer in control of us.”

For a long moment Hashirama simply stared at his brother, lips trembling as the words sank in. His chest ached, not from sorrow but from the overwhelming relief that surged through him. Slowly, his tears gave way to a shaky laugh, soft at first but growing steadier.

“You are right, Otouto. You always were the stronger one, even when you refused to see it. You carried me more times than I ever carried you. And now…now you are carrying more than just me. You are carrying her, too.”

His hand brushed gently against Yume’s small head, careful not to disturb her as she suckled. Hashirama’s smile, still damp with tears, finally reached his eyes.

“She is proof, Tobi. Proof that there is a future. Proof that we did not endure all of that suffering in vain. Proof that this dream…our dream…will be worth it.”

Hashirama leaned closer until his forehead touched Tobirama’s, their breaths mingling, their tears shared. His voice fell to a whisper, raw and reverent.

“Thank you for staying. Thank you for giving me this chance to see hope made real. I swear to you, Otouto, I will never let anything take it from us again.”

----

Madara stood outside the door, having caught most of the conversation going on inside. Shocked was an understatement. Tobirama had been close to taking his own life? What in the world. More and more Madara wondered what Butsuma had done to his son. What he already knew was bad enough, but to have driven Tobirama so far that he once considered ending his life? Unthinkable.

And the consequences. Madara did not even want to imagine them. If Tobirama had gone through with it, would Hashirama have followed him? Or would he have been consumed by the darkness in his heart? What would have become of the Senju? Of his own clan, the Uchiha? And Kami, what about Madara himself? He would have lost his life mate without ever knowing who it was. Or worse, what if he had felt it, that sudden absence of a piece of himself he never knew was missing until it was gone?

And peace. Would it have been possible at all? Even if Hashirama had survived, would he still have been open to the dream without Tobirama by his side? The treaty they had now was built on Tobirama’s mind and vision. Madara’s throat tightened. He did not want to think about it anymore.

“Mada-nii. I am done.”

Madara’s eyes snapped open with another sharp realization when he heard his little cousin, or rather his son. Kagami. Oh Kami, Kagami. He had been saved by Tobirama. Without him, Kagami might be dead by now, or worse. And what about the twins? No, no, no. Tobirama had been no older than eight when he saved them. And at that time, he had still been looking after a younger brother. He would not…

“Mada-nii? Is something wrong?”

Madara forced himself out of his dark thoughts and looked down at the bright child who had already endured so much in his young life. His eyes softened, and he ruffled Kagami’s hair as the boy returned, pushing a smile onto his lips even though his chest still burned with the weight of what he had overheard.

“Better now?” he asked, adjusting Kagami on his hip.

The boy’s body had decided it needed relief at last moment. As much as he had wanted to see his mother and his new baby sister, nature had won out in the end. Madara almost bet that the strain of the last twenty hours had held Kagami back until now.

Unfortunately, that pause had given Madara time to hear things he wished he had never heard. But there was no return now.

Kagami nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with expectation. “Can we go in now? Please?”

“Your hands clean?” Kagami nodded rapidly and even showed his hands for inspection.

Madara chuckled, a low rumble that covered the unease still clinging to him. “Very good, little hawk. The answer is Yes then.” He tapped the boy’s nose lightly. “But remember, your mother is very tired. You must be gentle and quiet. Understood?”

Kagami gave a solemn nod, and that small gesture nearly undid Madara all over again. His mind screamed with questions, with anger at Butsuma, with the raw ache of almost losing something he had not even realized he could not live without. But he swallowed it down, the way he always had when his emotions threatened to bleed through.

Tobirama and Hashirama would gain nothing from his rage, not now. Right now, there was a baby to meet, and a little boy who needed to see that his family was whole.

“Alright.” Madara whispered more to himself than to Kagami. He straightened, set his jaw, and knocked at the Shoji.

“Hey there. It is me. And I have a little boy here who is eager to meet the new addition to the family.”

There was the sound of a light shuffle before Hashirama called, “Come in.”

Madara slid open the door with one hand. He expected to be met by a wall of distress or the heavy weight of grief, something to mirror the words he had overheard only minutes before. But the two brothers seem to have incredible control of their scents. Instead, the air inside was soft, warm, and filled with the scent of milk and new life. Though it could not hide the swollen eyes of Hashirama and Tobirama, or the traces of tears still on their faces.

Madara’s throat tightened again.

Kagami squirmed in his arms. “Kaasan.”

Madara stepped inside, his heart pounding as he fought to steady both his expression and his scent. He could not be sure whether the brothers had noticed his presence outside, though at least Hashirama likely had. Even so, they could not know whether he had overheard their conversation, and Madara was determined to keep it that way, at least for now.

Therefore, he smiled and moved closer to the nest. The dirty sheets had been replaced by thick fur, and Tobirama was framed by a jumble of blankets and pillows. Their daughter rested against his shoulder while he gently patted her back in that familiar way Madara had often seen when infants had just finished feeding.

Tobirama smiled tiredly when Kagami carefully climbed into the nest and settled right next to him. “Hey, Kags. You okay? You must have been scared.”

“I was, but not anymore. Uhm, is this my baby sister?”

“Yes.” Tobirama carefully moved Yume back to her previous position, her head cradled in the crook of his arm. “Greet your Imouto, Senju Yume.” Kagami leaned forward, and like everyone else had done before, took in the sight of his sister, his eyes bright with wonder.

“Wow, she’s so small. And she looks grumpy, just like Mada-nii. She even has this wrinkle between the eyebrows. See.” He pointed at the tiny crease with a small giggle.

Behind him, Madara sputtered in mock offense, while Tobirama and Hashirama both chuckled.

“Oy brat.”

“He isn’t wrong Madara. And please, no cursing in front of Yume.” Hashirama chided in fond amusement.

Kagami, ignoring the adults, leaned even closer when the little girl opened her eyes. The wrinkle increased at the sight of a face so close to hers, but luckily she didn’t start to cry.

“Why are her eyes blue?” Kagami asked confused.

“It’s normal. All newborns have blue eyes for the first few days. With time they will change to the color inherited by the parents or their ancestors. In your sister’s case, it’ll probably the same black like Madara’s or a darker brown like Hashirama’s.”

“And why not red? You have red eyes?”

“Remember our talk Kagami. I’m an albino, born different. My eyes are not typical of my clan and bloodline. Yume hasn’t been born with the same…defect as I.” 

“Otouto.”

“I don’t know another word to say it, Anija.” Tobirama said, frustrated.

“You’re not born with a defect, Tobirama.” Madara said, giving his own protest.

“Yeah? What else would you call it when you have a weak body, more sensitive skin than anyone else, and being more than just half blind.” Tobirama didn’t scream, but his words were sharp enough to let Hashirama and Madara flinch.

“You’re not weak, kaasan. Stop saying such, uhm, bad things. Amaterasu-kamisama wouldn’t be happy. You look like her after all, and she is a kami. Kamis are not weak.” Kagami wanted to say stupid, but his mother wasn’t truly stupid, was he.

Tobirama blinked at him, then let his head fall back against the pillow with a sigh.

“Point for Kagami.” Madara chuckled.

“Let’s not talk about it. It doesn’t matter anyway.” Tobirama muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, Kagami reached out with a small hand. His smile lit up the moment Yume’s tiny fingers curled instinctively around his own. “Hello, Yume. I’m Kagami. Your big brother.”

The words were spoken with all the solemn pride a child could muster, and for a moment the room seemed to soften around him. Tobirama’s tired expression eased, Hashirama’s chest swelled with warmth, and even Madara felt the tightness in his heart loosen just a little.

Yume let out a soft sound, something between a sigh and a squeak, still clinging to Kagami’s finger as if she already knew who he was. Kagami grinned, leaning a little closer. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

Madara swallowed hard, both at the innocence of the promise and at how fiercely it resonated inside him.

When Tobirama finally yawned after a few minutes of quiet, Madara and Hashirama exchanged glances and nodded in silent agreement.

“Tobi, take some rest.” Hashirama said gently, helping his brother settle more comfortably among the blankets.

“You too, Kagami. I can see you haven’t slept much.” Madara added, brushing his hand fondly through the boy’s hair.

Tobirama cracked one eye open. “You need to rest as well, Anija.”

“Later, Otouto. There is still something Madara and I need to take care of. But don’t worry. we won’t leave the house. It’s just a matter we must discuss.”

“Hm.” Tobirama’s eyes drifted shut again, his voice already faint with sleep. “Don’t be too angry at Mito. She’s a kind woman. What happened…wasn’t her fault.”

“I know, Otouto. Rest easy.” Hashirama murmured, pressing a soft kiss on his brother’s forehead.

Before the two alphas left, they made sure both children were safe and comfortable, Yume nestled against Tobirama’s chest and Kagami curled at his side, the three of them a quiet picture of peace.

When Madara and Hashirama slid the Shoji open, they were met by the sight of Arashi waiting just outside.

“You two go talk.” The great tiger rumbled. “I’ll make sure they are safe while they sleep.”

“Ah…alright. Thank you.” Hashirama replied softly. Both he and Madara stepped aside, allowing the majestic tiger to enter.

Arashi padded toward the nest with deliberate care. Once he reached it, he circled once before curling protectively around the three resting figures. Lowering his great head close to Tobirama’s, he let his eyes drift shut, though the constant flick of his ears betrayed his sharp awareness of every sound.

Satisfied, Hashirama slid the Shoji closed once more and gave Madara a nod, leading him quietly toward the kitchen.

----

Chapter Text

Mito sat among her clan members, her head buried in her hands.

“Mito-hime, what do we do? Ryunosuke has put us in a very delicate situation.” Hanna, her attendant, asked.

“There is nothing we can do for the moment, except wait for Father’s response.”

“This will take days. Days we cannot afford if we want Ryunosuke to be safe.”, one of the elder delegates said.

“Safe?” Mito almost growled, lifting her hands just enough to reveal her furious eyes. “Him? The one who attacked a pregnant omega and almost killed him and his unborn child? Without any proper reason?”

“He said Tobirama attacked…”

“Oh no. We will not do that. We will not place blame on the victim. Don’t be foolish. We have been here for several weeks now. If you have been observant at all, then you know Tobirama-san has absolutely no reason to attack anyone, least of all Ryunosuke. They have not even spoken once, as you are well aware.”

“But why would Ryunosuke attack him?”

“Because of me,” Mito sighed.

“What?” Several shocked voices rang out at once.

“Ryunosuke and I…we understood each other very well. Years ago, I considered him a potential mate. But my interest faded after I caught a whiff of Senju Hashirama’s scent. You remember when Senju Butsuma sent the Yukata of his son, hoping my father might use it to find a suitable partner, or that someone close to him might catch the scent and become desperate enough that father would be forced to negotiate an alliance.”

“Yes, but your father sent it back with a message not to trouble us again. Are you saying…”

“Yes. I was there. In fact, it was the very day I had planned to speak with father about Ryunosuke. To tell him I was considering marriage. But I never got the chance. Before I could say anything, he opened the package, and the moment I caught that scent, every thought of marrying Ryunosuke vanished. I believe father realized what had happened, but neither of us spoke of it again. I never mentioned Ryunosuke after that. And I made the mistake of not explaining anything to him either. I thought there was no need, since marriage to the Senju heir was not an option at that point. But as time passed, my interest in Ryunosuke disappeared completely. The scent of my true mate lingered in my mind, and so I ended things with Ryunosuke. He did not understand at first, but after Butsuma’s death, I explained that I had found my life mate, though I never told him who until I spoke with father.”

The others exchanged uncertain glances while Mito kept her eyes lowered, continuing despite the weight pressing on her chest.

“Ryunosuke seemed to accept it then, and we remained friends. I never told father how close I had been to him, something I deeply regret now. Had father known, I am certain he would not have sent Ryunosuke here with us.”

“But why keep it from him?”

“Because I didn’t want to make it a matter of importance. It had been years already. And before you ask, nothing happened between us beyond a few innocent kisses, which ended once I chose to step away. It felt wrong after I realized what Hashirama meant to me.”

“But if he accepted that you and he could never be, then why attack Tobirama-san? He is not even your mate.”

“That is the question of the year, isn’t it? But it’s not even the worst of it. From the moment we arrived, I sensed something was off. I should have sent him home immediately.”

“Why didn’t you?” Everyone froze at the sudden voice that came from the doorway. Senju Hashirama stood there, his presence filling the room. And he wasn’t alone. Close behind him stood also Uchiha Madara.

Mito’s hands slipped from her face, and she stared at him with a flush of shame, her expression caught between guilt and helplessness.

“I…I planned to send him home as soon as I found a suitable reason. At the time, it would have seemed improper, even suspicious, to send him back so soon after our arrival. Foolish of me, as I now realize.”

Mito bit her lower lip before straightening her posture. With the grace of a princess, she rose, circled the chabudai with measured steps, and then knelt a short distance from Hashirama. She bowed deeply, her voice steady despite the tremor of shame in her expression.

“Senju-sama, I offer my deepest regrets. We have dishonored your hospitality in the worst possible way. All I can do now is give you my most sincere apology. Both to you, and to Tobirama-sama, who I hope is well, as is his child.”

There was a long pause. Mito forced herself not to move, not even to lift her gaze. Hashirama’s eyes lingered on her, heavy and unreadable. Inside, his anger simmered. She had known something was wrong, and yet she had done nothing. She could at least have spoken to him, but even that had been too much.

And yet…Tobirama had pleaded for her, asking that she not be blamed. That she was kind, that her heart was good. Hashirama could not deny it. He liked her. Deep down, he knew she was not truly at fault. Yes, she could have handled it better, but she had likely trusted that the omega would never be foolish enough to act.

“Senju-sama.” Her quiet voice pulled him from his thoughts. Mito remained kneeling, still bowed, and the sight only unsettled him further. He sighed, then stepped closer.

“Mito-hime. Please, sit up. Look at me.”

She hesitated, then obeyed. To her surprise, Hashirama lowered himself to kneel in front of her, a faint smile softening his lips.

“Tobirama is fine…”, he said gently, “…and so is my niece.”

Mito’s eyes widened. “Your niece? Then…it’s a little girl?”

Hashirama nodded, his smile warming. “Yes. Her name is Senju Yume. And she is beautiful. Hard to believe, really, when you consider who her father is.”

“Oy! What is that supposed to mean?” Madara’s voice thundered from the doorway. “I am far better looking than you!”

“Ho? But you always look so grumpy.” Hashirama teased, pouting. “Even your daughter inherited that wrinkle between her brows. Though…”, his grin returned, bright as sunlight, “…on her it looks much cuter.”

Madara’s brow twitched, his teeth grinding as he resisted the urge to lunge at him. Mito, meanwhile, allowed herself a small laugh at their exchange before her expression sobered once more.

“Senju-sama, Hashirama.” Both alphas turned to her, their playful air vanishing at the weight in her tone. She met Hashirama’s gaze, her voice steady. “About Ryunosuke, the omega who harmed Tobirama. What do you intend to do with him? Will you permit his return to Uzushio?”

“You must be joking. That bastard will not get away with…” Madara growled, but Mito cut him off, her eyes fixed on him.

“Uchiha-sama. Forgive my bluntness, but it was not you I asked.”

Madara’s eyes flared with fury. “You…”

“Uzumaki-hime.” Hashirama’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. Her gaze snapped back at him, and she saw it. The darkness hidden beneath his usual warmth.

“Tell me…”, he said softly, yet dangerously, “…would you let someone walk free who tried to kill a member of your clan in your own home? Your pregnant sibling, no less?”

“No.”, she admitted, “I would not. But I am not in your position, Senju-sama. The culprit is of my clan, and so I must ensure he faces a fair trial. Not punishment born from revenge. Please, try to see my position, as I have tried to see yours.”

Hashirama studied her in silence before finally humming low in his throat. “I see. That puts us in a difficult position. Because you should know, I am very, very angry. That omega is alive only because my brother needed me, and because I didn’t want to risk harming Arashi-sama, who had already pinned him down. But now…now I am ready to seek justice.”

“I understand.” Mito replied, her voice unwavering. “And I promise you he will not escape justice. But we must also consider his state of mind.”

Hashirama frowned. “What do you mean by state of mind?”

“I mean his instincts.” She took a deep breath. “You know how consuming they can be. Had you killed Ryunosuke in the moment, it would have been understood. Your protective instincts for your brother would have excused it. No one would question it. But now…now it would be different. He is contained. He can no longer harm anyone. If you strike him now, it would not be instinct. It would be cold blood.”

She held his gaze, her voice firm. “Do you understand what I mean? If you kill him now, then…”

“I understand.” Hashirama raised a hand, stopping her words.

“You cannot be serious, Hashirama. You want that bastard to get away with what he almost did?” Madara growled, fury rolling off him.

“Madara.” Hashirama’s voice sharpened, his own anger surfacing. “If I remember correctly, you still keep a prisoner who did far worse to my brother.”

Madara froze, his mouth half open. Slowly, he closed it again. His posture eased, and he crossed his arms, scowling. “You are right. I was out of line. My apologies.”

Hashirama drew a long breath before turning back to Mito. “Then here is what we will do. We will speak with Ryunosuke and hear what he has to say. Afterwards, we will decide how to proceed.”

“I already sent word to my father.” Mito said softly. “We should receive his answer within a few days.” Her eyes lowered, unable to meet his own. “I also mentioned that this incident might affect the bond we are building. And…should you decide to end things…”

“I will not.” Hashirama’s reply cut through her hesitation. His gaze was steady, his voice unwavering. “If I end this now, it’ll only give that omega what he wants. Perhaps that was his goal all along. To create a rift between us, to shatter my trust in you. Maybe he thought you would side with him, return home as if nothing had happened.” His expression softened, though his tone held firm conviction. “But he miscalculated. My brother is no easy target, even if he looks fragile and vulnerable. And I am not a man whose trust crumbles from one mistake, even if it angers me. Ask Madara. He knows exactly what I mean.”

A sharp snort came from behind him, making Hashirama’s lips curve into a small smile. Mito heard it too and turned her gaze to Madara, who gave a brief nod without looking at her.

“But Mito…” Hashirama’s eyes settled on her. “…next time, tell me. I need to know about any possible threat to my brother. Madara received the same lecture an hour ago, because he too failed to warn me.”

“Tsk. You did not even notice.” Madara scoffed.

“I know.” Hashirama admitted through clenched teeth. “It is just one more reminder that I am not perfect, that I have flaws like everyone else.”

“I suppose none of us are perfect.” Mito said quietly. “We can only learn from our mistakes and hope not to repeat them.”

Silence lingered in the room until Hashirama exhaled and rose to his feet. “Let us go and speak with your clansman. If possible, I want to be back at my brother’s side before he wakes.”

“Uhm…is there anything we can do to help?” Hanna asked timidly. “Maybe prepare some food, or, or…”

Hashirama glanced at the girl sitting nearby. “No, Hanna-chan. There is nothing for you to do right now.” His tone was not unkind, though his words were clearly meant as dismissal.

Hanna opened her mouth to protest, but Mito stopped her with a small shake of her head.

----

“Ryunosuke. Tell us clearly, why did you attack Tobirama-san?” Mito’s tone was sharp, her presence commanding as she stood between Hashirama and Madara before the cell.

“I didn’t. I already told you. He attacked me first.”

“And why would he do that?” Her gaze hardened. “You have not exchanged a single word with him since our arrival. What possible reason would he have to strike at you, unless it was to protect himself?”

“How should I know? Maybe he doesn’t like having another male omega in his territory.”

Mito’s expression did not waver. “Ridiculous. You have not set foot in his personal home, nor shown the slightest interest in his mate. On what grounds would he view you as a threat?”

“Why are you asking me? Ask him.”

“You will watch your tone.” Madara growled, his eyes narrowing.

“Tell us what happened, in your version.” Hashirama said, his voice calmer but cutting no less deeply. “But remember this. We have witnesses. Lies will only worsen your fate.”

Ryunosuke’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “If you already have witnesses, why bother asking me? You won’t believe me anyway, no matter what I say.”

“Enough.” Mito’s voice rang with authority, silencing him. “You will answer me, and you will answer truthfully. Now.”

“Fine.”, he spat, “I was on my way to the bathhouse, walking along the engawa that leads to the entrance. Just as I was about to turn the corner, Senju-san appeared, a kunai in hand, snarling at me. He said this was his home and that he would not tolerate me here any longer. Then he stabbed at me. I tried to dodge, but he still cut me. In my panic I pushed him away. Before I could call for help or run, that giant tiger pinned me down. They wanted to kill me.”

Silence followed. Three alphas stared at him as if he had gone mad.

“That’s utter bullshit.” Madara barked before breaking into laughter. “If he wanted you dead, you’d already be dead, and no one would ever know it was him.”

“Indeed,” Hashirama agreed, his own laugh echoing through the prison.

Mito, who may not have known Tobirama for long but knew him well enough, kept her composure. She did not laugh, nor did she soften. She leveled her clansman with a gaze that carried the full weight of her station.

“Ryunosuke. Do not insult us with lies. You shame yourself and our clan with every word. And I will not stand for that.”

The air grew heavy in the narrow space. Even Madara, who had been on the edge of another bark of laughter, stilled and watched the omega with narrowed eyes. Ryunosuke’s bravado faltered beneath the princess’s words, his shoulders twitching as if her judgment weighed more than chains ever could.

“Tell us what truly happened. This is your last chance.”

Silence.

“If you don’t want to talk, I can also use my Sharingan to infiltrate your memories. Though I can’t promise it won’t be painless.” Madara’s sharp smile carried more promise than threat, his eyes glinting with glee.

“N-No. I…” Ryunosuke stammered, biting his lip, sweat beading under the weight of three alpha gazes.

“Open the doors. My patience is running out.” Madara ordered.

The Senju guard froze, uncertain, and looked at Hashirama. One nod was all it took. Keys rattled in nervous hands, fumbling at the lock. Madara, impatient, threw the door wide…

“No! Okay, I lied!”, the omega shrieked, voice cracking. He recoiled against the wall, eyes wide. “Dammit. Keep him away from me.”

“Talk,” Hashirama growled, his voice dropping into something cold and final.

“I…I was jealous. Mito-hime should have been mine. Since the first time I saw her, I knew she belonged to me. I didn’t care that she was younger. When she presented as an alpha, I thought it was fate. I studied her, watched her with others, learned what pleased her, what she despised. My only fear was whether she would like my scent. She did. And I was so happy, so certain she was mine. Until…”, his words twisted into a snarl, “…until that cursed day she went to her father. At first I thought nothing of it. But when she went into rut, and I offered myself… She refused. She never refused me before.”

Madara and Hashirama both turned to the princess, eyebrows rising.

“I thought nothing happened between you and him. Just a few kisses.” Madara snorted, voice dripping with disdain.

“It didn’t.” Mito answered, her head high, her tone unshaken. “I had enough control not to lose myself. We cuddled. We kissed. That is all. And that is all you need to know.”

“If you say so.” Madara’s eyes narrowed as he turned back to the omega. “Continue.”

Ryunosuke bit back a snarl, the twitch of his lips betraying what he tried to hide. Madara caught it instantly, his own chakra flaring for just a heartbeat, a silent warning. The omega’s disdain only deepened as he went on.

“I knew something had changed then, but I didn’t know what. And then she ended things. Just like that. No explanation. Nothing. A slap in the face. Worse when she finally admitted she had found her life mate. I asked who, but she refused to answer. I pretended to be understanding, but inside…” His voice twisted. “…inside, I was furious. Betrayed. Like a toy tossed aside once the owner found something shinier.”

Mito flinched. Her eyes fell to the ground, shame pricking her chest. She couldn’t deny it. She certainly could have ended it more gracefully.

Ryunosuke’s lip curled. “Tsk. I did my research. I wanted to know who she had chosen. So, I went through her letters.”

“You did what?” Mito’s voice snapped like a whip, her head rising sharply, eyes blazing.

“I found out about the Senju,” the omega pressed on, ignoring her fury, his words dripping with venom. “One an alpha, the other an omega. And what I read…” he scoffed, “…there was no way her life mate was the alpha. Every letter spoke of the younger brother. The omega. How kind he was. How brilliant. How he taught himself fūinjutsu and excelled at it. Sickening. Reading those letters, it was as if Senju-sama himself wanted to mate his own brother. It was disgusting.”

A sharp glint of red flickered in Hashirama’s eyes. His jaw tightened, lips pulling back in a snarl that promised violence. Madara’s hand clamped down on his arm like an iron chain, restraining him even as his own Sharingan spun to life. His fury mirrored Hashirama’s. And the gesture was not only to hold his friend back, but to anchor himself as well.

“Anyway. Then came the day Lord Uzumaki organized a delegation to escort his daughter to the Senju. When I heard, I asked to join. He agreed, and Uzumaki-hime did not complain. For weeks I watched. Observed. And what I saw was disgusting. Others might be fooled, but I…I saw the truth.”

Mito’s hands curled into fists at her side. “What truth?”, she forced out between her teeth.

“The truth that Senju-sama sleeps with his own brother and got him pregnant.”

The cell fell silent. Three alphas and one beta guard stared at him, dumbstruck.

“You…” Hashirama’s voice was low, dangerous.

“Don’t deny it, Senju.” Ryunosuke snarled, his eyes wild. “You cling to your brother like a lover. You’re always touching him. You don’t let anyone near him. You…”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Really? Then explain this: everyone says Uchiha-sama and Senju-san are mates, but it doesn’t look like it. Uchiha-sama doesn’t even protest when you touch his so-called mate. So how can they truly be bonded? It’s obvious to me. You’re plotting with Uzumaki-hime caught in the middle. You as her life mate? Don’t make me laugh. Her true life mate is that demon. Why else would you let her be near him when no one else is allowed? I don’t know what trick you played to convince Uchiha-sama that he fathered that monster, but…”

A deafening crack cut him short. Thick wooden vines erupted from the stone floor, slamming him against the wall with crushing force. One wrapped around his throat, tightening, dragging the last words from his mouth in a strangled gasp.

Neither Mito nor Madara moved to stop it. Even the guard by the cell stood frozen, his face pale with shock at the torrent of madness spilling from the omega’s lips.

“Hashirama-sama. Uhm. You… you are killing him.” The guard swallowed hard, his voice wavering. A beta’s instincts were duller than those of alphas or omegas, but even he could feel the suffocating pressure in the air.

Mito was the first to move. Calm and deliberate, she laid a hand on Hashirama’s arm, her presence steady, her scent carrying waves of soothing alpha reassurance. It was not instant, but slowly the tremor in the vines eased. A breath later, Hashirama released them completely. The wooden coils slackened, and the omega crumpled to the floor in an unconscious heap.

Without hesitation, Mito stepped into the cell. She knelt beside the fallen figure, fingers pressing against his throat. “He is alive.”, she said flatly. No relief, no anger, only cold fact.

Madara’s lips pulled back into a sharp grimace, his teeth flashing in displeasure. Hashirama remained silent, his eyes fixed on nothing, his chest rising and falling like a man wrestling down a storm.

“Shall I…call for a healer?”, the beta asked hesitantly.

“No.” Hashirama answered, his voice even but hard. “He will wake in a few hours. That is enough.” He turned, but before leaving, he cast one last glance back at Mito. “Mito. This wasn’t instinct. This was madness. And I don’t need to hear more of it.”

His gaze darkened. “Arashi-sama told us what happened. Tobirama was only passing by on his way back to the meeting when Ryunosuke attacked from behind. My brother managed to dodge and to fight back, landing a hit on his own, even without his sensor abilities. Unfortunately, he lost balance due to the pregnancy. So, it was merely bad luck that he fell from the engawa. Anyway, after what I have just heard, I cannot see this as anything less than a murder attempt on my clan’s heir. And it will be treated as such. I trust you understand.”

Mito gave a small nod but did not speak. When Hashirama and Madara left, silence filled the cell. She stood rooted in place, her eyes fixed on the unconscious omega slumped against the wall. Shame and disbelief churned in her chest. How had she overlooked the signs? How could she not have seen what he carried in his heart?

Chapter Text

The next three days passed quickly. Even Tobirama, who normally hated being confined to bed, found little to complain about. He was more than content to feed his daughter and simply watch her as his body continued to heal.

What unsettled him, however, was Madara’s constant presence inside his bedroom and therefore close to his nest. Until now, the only people Tobirama ever allowed near that space were Hashirama, Touka, Kagami, and his tiger summon, Arashi.

When he had decided to give birth in his nest, he had accepted the necessity that another healer besides Hashirama might intrude on his safe space. Elder Yumiko had been welcomed for that reason, but as soon as the birth was over and all was settled, she had known her presence was no longer tolerated.

Madara, though, was different. He was not a healer. He was not a Senju. By all rights, Tobirama’s instincts, sharpened now by the weight of his pregnancy, should have bristled at the intrusion. Yet Madara was Yume’s father. He was Tobirama’s life mate, even if they stood apart still, not a mated pair but something hovering closer to uneasy friendship.

The contradiction left him restless. His body wavered between two impulses, whether to bare his teeth at Madara or to lean into him and purr.

And Madara didn’t help. It’s not like he’s doing anything wrong. He keeps his scent calm and neutral. He doesn’t take Yume out of the nest without asking for permission first, nor is he taking her somewhere outside while Hashirama helps Tobirama to the bathroom.

He doesn’t stare at Tobirama when he’s breastfeeding their daughter, rather turning around to give him privacy and when allowed be the one that claps her back after she finished. And he’s always careful not to mess up Tobirama’s nest when taking Yume or giving her back.

So, all things considered, Tobirama should not feel the urge to kick Madara out or snarl at him whenever he stepped into the bedroom, not when the stronger urge was to do the opposite the moment Madara turned to leave.

It was then that Arashi decided to explain his state, because of course the big fur ball had noticed.

“Life mate or not, he is still an alpha you have neither claimed nor accepted as family. Nor are you an omega in heat, the only other reason why an alpha that is neither a mate nor family nor close friend might be allowed into an omega’s nest. And this situation is also forced. He’s the father of your cub, but the only way for him to see her is to step into your most sacred place, because you cannot leave it yourself. Well, you could, with some help, but you don’t want to. You have just given birth. Besides being injured, it’s normal for new mothers to remain in the nest for a few days.”

“Oh. That’s why I don’t hate being in bed all day.”

“Mhm. Instinct. Your body is drained from the hours of labor, and it needs time to recover. To regain strength so you can protect your cub once you’re ready to leave the safety of your nest. It also gives you time to form a proper bond with your cub.”

“Makes sense. But what about Madara?”

“As I said, you are neither mates nor is he family, not yet. That is why your first instinct, when he intrudes, is to snarl, to warn him. But you also know he’s the father of your cub, your future mate, your alpha, so you hold back. Your brother’s presence helps as well. With him close, you feel less threatened. Madara himself does his part too. He is respectful, careful not to provoke you. He doesn’t enter without your permission, even when Hashirama is the one to open the Shoji.”

Tobirama tilted his head. “Huh. I didn’t notice.”

“There are other ways of communicating besides using words, and you know them well. Scent and body language tell just as much.” Tobirama stiffened and Arashi snickered.

“Yeah, your control of scent is fine. But your body language? Not so much. No matter how subtle you think you are. And Madara…he notices. He’s a far better observer than most.  Perhaps a side effect when you have a Dōjutsu like the Sharingan, even if it’s not active.”

“I…see.”

“For your other feelings, it is rather obvious. Part of it I already explained. He respects you and your boundaries. The other part is how he’s with your cub. He is good with her. He doesn’t shy away from the unpleasant tasks. He doesn’t complain when she loses her meal over his shoulder. And you can see the love in his eyes, not only for her but for you as well.” Arashi grinned at Tobirama’s flushed face, pleased that his words struck true.

“It’s also him who brings you food most of the time. As he should, if he wants to be your alpha. He even shares his own when he sees you are still hungry after finishing your plate.”

“That is rare. I cannot stomach much.”

“Yes, and he notices. He is still learning to judge the portions. But that doesn’t change the fact that when a portion falls short, he shares without hesitation. He puts your well-being above his own. That is what a good alpha should do.”

“That is foolish. I can take care of myself.”

Arashi scoffed. “No. Strong, yes. Clever, certainly. Deadly in battle, without question. But good at caring for yourself? Hardly. Not from what Touka-kun told me.”

Tobirama groaned. “You spoke with Touka about me? Why?”

“Do you not remember our talk, Tobirama? Do you think it amuses me to watch you keep drowning in the past? You and your brother carry enough trauma for several lifetimes. Touka has her share as well, but hers is lighter than yours. And I know she wouldn’t lie. But don’t worry. I didn’t ask her anything I didn’t already know. At most, she filled in some gaps when I asked about the things I wanted confirmed. How you and your brother manage yourselves. If you eat enough. Sleep enough. Things I knew you would simply deny if I asked.”

Disgruntled Tobirama squirmed.

“Don’t worry, cub. I won’t pry into what isn’t my business. You will tell me, or you will not. But your health is very much my concern. So, no, I will not apologize.” Arashi gave Tobirama’s head a gentle nudge. “And as for your conflicted feelings, your hormones are still out of balance, and you are adjusting to new circumstances. Give it a few more days, and you will feel more like yourself again.”

Tobirama exhaled slowly. “I suppose you’re right.”

“That aside, what about your chakra? Your brother said it should be safe enough to use again.”

“Hm. Only one way to find out.”

Tobirama closed his eyes and for the first time in months let his chakra senses stir. Not all at once, but gradually, carefully, so he wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the sudden flood of information. Soon, a smile touched his lips. He could feel his daughter’s chakra, warm and steady, carrying the fire nature she likely inherited from her father. Tobirama wasn’t disappointed. It meant she wouldn’t freeze as easily as he did, burdened with his own water nature chakra.

Not that all water users ran cold as he did or burned unbearably hot like Madara. Much depended on the strength of their chakra. With Yume, it was too early to tell how powerful hers would become, but already Tobirama could sense her reserves were above average.

And…she was a sensor.

Tobirama’s grin widened as he opened his eyes to find his daughter staring at him in open wonder before squealing in delight. She was no strong sensor, not like him, but the gift was there. And it explained a lot. For example, the day when Hashirama and Madara had told him about the Uzumaki omega’s words, Yume had been upset. They had tried to hide their fury with scent blockers and quiet tones, but Tobirama had seen the anger burning in their eyes. Yume must have felt it through their chakra. At first, she had only squirmed, giving small unhappy sounds, but the longer it went on, the more distressed she became until she cried. Loud and inconsolable. She only stopped when both alphas calmed and cooed at her.

And wasn’t that a sight. Two of the strongest alphas shifting from murder mode to soft mode in the span of a heartbeat.

Speaking of alphas, Tobirama reached out further and soon enough found Hashirama and Mito sitting on the engawa of the main house. Their chakra felt calm, though Mito’s carried a trace of something Tobirama often associated with shame. She was probably still blaming herself or perhaps feeling ashamed she had not noticed the omega’s madness sooner.
And madness was the only word for it. He and his brother? Truly? How could anyone believe that he and Hashirama could ever be…that way. That they would…do such a thing together. The thought alone made his stomach twist and his skin crawl.

He dreaded the day of Touka’s return. No doubt she would be furious that another omega had tried to harm Tobirama and Yume, but she would also laugh her ass off when she heard the reason. Touka delighted in teasing the brothers, especially Tobirama, when their closeness seemed more like lovers than siblings.

But those were jokes, harmless family teasing. Touka only wanted to see him flushed, never crossing the line into true discomfort. This omega, however, had forced Tobirama to question himself. Was his closeness to Hashirama truly improper? Did they act more like lovers than brothers? Was it wrong to let Hashirama into his nest simply because he felt safer that way? Was it wrong to sit in Hashirama’s lap, so his elder brother could reassure himself that Tobirama was alive and well? Was it wrong to let Hashirama wash him when he couldn’t manage on his own?

Perhaps. But Tobirama didn’t care. None of it carried even the faintest trace of sexual meaning. There were no lingering touches, no spark of arousal in scent or chakra. No, there was only comfort, safety, and the bond of brothers who had survived too much to let go of each other now.

That couldn’t be said about Madara. The feelings of comfort and safety were still there, but with the Uchiha clan head, Tobirama could admit that he wanted him as an alpha, as his mate. And that was the difference. Where the thought of sex with Hashirama made his skin crawl with disgust, the thought of Madara above him, rutting into him, left him flushed and wet between his legs.

And, yeah, Tobirama needed to pull himself out of his head quickly if he didn’t want to embarrass himself right now. Easier said than done when his senses brushed over the blazing chakra of Madara.

The alpha wasn’t far from Hashirama and Mito. So, to calm himself, Tobirama focused back on his brother. And, yeah, it was like a bucket of cold water over his head when his thoughts immediately flipped to imagining Hashirama instead of Madara doing… no, no, just no, iiih.
He must have made a disgusting sound, because Arashi suddenly began to laugh, which put a complete stop to whatever Tobirama had been thinking.

Flushed, Tobirama opened his eyes. When his gaze met Arashi’s and he saw the mischievous glint, he flinched and turned bright red.

“No word.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“And it better stay that way.”

“Sure.”

----

“Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for your understanding and patience. As you know, my brother fell victim to an unreasonable act of jealousy. He managed to defend himself but still fell from the engawa unbalanced. The fall sent him into labor. Despite the accident, I can proclaim that the birth went without further complication and that my brother bore a healthy little girl.” Hashirama smiled at the crowd, who breathed in relief at the news.

Of course, they had been informed about the birth, but there haven’t been any details like if mother and child were healthy.

“As you are aware, omegas tend to remain in their nest for some days after birth. That is why Tobirama apologizes for not attending for the foreseeable future. But he will be there when we are ready to sign the peace treaty.”

“We understand, Senju-sama. Please pass on our congratulations to your brother on the birth of his daughter, and that we wish him a swift recovery.”

Hashirama nodded at the Sarutobi representative. “Thank you.” After another breath, he continued, “As much as I wish it had never happened, this incident proves that we need to think more carefully about how such matters should be handled in the future. As said, inter-clan disputes will be dealt with by the clan. But if something like this happens with several clans or non-clan members involved, then we require a clear structure of law. We already considered the possibility of letting omegas or alphas settle conflicts in a controlled environment, but there is no guarantee they will stop if their obsession runs too deep.”

“Hashirama and I discussed possible punishments.” Madara took over. “One option would be imprisonment for a set period with mandatory therapy sessions. Depending on progress, the time could be shortened or extended, though early release doesn’t mean the therapy would be canceled. If things escalate far enough, punishment might also include banishment or execution. That would depend on the severity of injuries, or if one or several murders are involved.”

“Now, those punishments will also apply to other occasions, not only when omegas or alphas lose control.” Hashirama added. “As said, we must establish a law system that applies to all, though it may not always weigh the same for Shinobi and civilians. Either way, it will be impossible to find a solution for everything at once.”

“What about the laws that exist already? Those made by the capital?” A Senju elder asked.

“They will not be dismissed, of course. Those our clans agree on can even serve as a foundation. But we’re clans of Shinobi. We have our own rules. It won’t be much different. It will be a three-level system. First, the individual clan laws. Second, the village laws…”, several eyes twitched, “…and third, the capital’s laws. Do I need to explain which laws apply when?”

“Clan laws for everything that happens within a clan or between two people of the same clan. Village laws for anything within the village and involving several clans or non-clan civilians. And capital laws for everything outside the village that involves people not part of it.” An Uchiha elder summarized.

“Yes, for the clan laws. Not quite so for the other two. Village laws will apply not only within the village but also beyond. The same for the capital’s laws. Meaning, just because you leave the village doesn’t mean its laws no longer bind you. You’re still part of it. As for outsiders visiting the village. The village laws won’t apply to them, unless we reach an agreement with the Daimyo. However, I doubt we can expect everyone in and around Fire Country to learn our codes.”

“Actually, we can.” Hashirama perked up at Madara’s objection. “Well, maybe we cannot force them to study the laws in detail, but we could prepare a codex of conduct they must read and sign before entering the village. It could also include an agreement that they fall under our jurisdiction should they cause trouble.”

Hashirama gaped at his friend. “That…might actually work.”

----

It took two more weeks until they were ready to sign the peace treaty. Enough time for Tobirama to leave his nest, though he still needed to be careful.

Yume had been properly introduced to the Uchiha before anyone else. She might wear the Senju name, but she was still Madara’s child and might one day become heir and clan head of the Uchiha. They had been visibly pleased to see that she inherited the typical Uchiha colors of black hair and dark eyes and were even more pleased when they compared her features to their goddess Amaterasu. Though the red markings were missing. Tobirama didn’t care and merely rolled his eyes.

Mito also took the chance to apologize to him. Of course, Tobirama reassured her that she wasn’t at fault, yet it didn’t stop her from declaring that she owed him a debt. Tobirama had no idea how to respond to that.

He and Hashirama later received a formal apology from Mito’s father as well, who agreed to let Hashirama decide on the omega’s punishment. In the end, they sealed his chakra and sent him back to Uzushio, forever banished from the soil of Fire Country. Some protested, arguing that it was too light a sentence and that the omega deserved death, but Tobirama thought it enough. Though, had anything happened to Yume, he would have killed him without hesitation.

With the treaty ready to be signed, the question remained what to do with Yume. Tobirama wasn’t eager to have her so close to a large crowd, but even less did he want her out of his sight. In the end, he settled for a compromise, or as close to one as possible.

Wrapped in a blanket and secured by several slings against his chest, she could be hidden beneath his Yukata. People would still know she was there, but aside from a small patch of dark hair, they would see nothing more. Not unless Tobirama opened his Yukata, which of course wouldn’t happen until he was back in his nest.

He caught the disappointment in everyone’s eyes when Hashirama helped him into the meeting room, but he didn’t care. Too much had happened to lessen his trust in others, even if none of them had done anything to earn his suspicion. Still, if all went according to plan, they might meet Yume soon enough.

An hour later, all papers were signed and congratulations exchanged. The noise grew loud enough for Yume to start protesting, so Tobirama excused himself. This time he was helped out by Hikaku, who escorted him close to the main house until Arashi and Kagami could take over. The boy was more than happy to have his mother and little sister back.

With the peace treaty signed, the Nara and Sarutobi delegations said their goodbyes soon after. Hashirama reported proudly to Tobirama that they might soon receive letters. It was not an outright declaration of joining any village, but that might change once other clans heard that Senju and Uchiha had already begun construction of one.

A signed treaty also meant it was time for Madara and his clan to return home. That part was harder than Tobirama had anticipated. Yume especially was not happy to be separated from her father, as if she somehow knew she wouldn’t see him for a while. She cried through the entire farewell and didn’t stop for hours.

Fortunately, Mito had the brilliant idea of picking up the blanket Madara had slept in before it could be washed. The moment Yume caught her father’s scent she quieted and fell asleep.

It was only days later that Tobirama realized he might be in the same position Madara and his family had once been. Yume refused to sleep without the blanket carrying her father’s scent, and Kagami remembered he had been the same without something carrying Tobirama’s.

Which meant it was now Madara’s turn to send things marked freshly with his scent. Otherwise, they risked Yume falling ill, even though she still had Tobirama. Fascinating, how quickly circumstances could turn.

Chapter Text

Madara cursed under his breath. Today he was finally seeing Tobirama and Yume again, and he had completely lost track of time because he checked, double-checked, and checked one more time that everything was ready for them. Now he had to sprint to the gates before they arrived.

Out of breath, he came to a stop just as Hashirama and Tobirama appeared at the forest edge surrounding the Uchiha compound. Among them were also Mito and her attendant Hanna as well as Kagami, holding one of Tobirama’s hands.

Madara, though, had eyes only for the small bundle pressed against Tobirama’s chest. It had been a full month since he had last seen them. He had been worried, when he received the message to send blankets marked with his scent, because Yume was at risk of falling ill from his absence.

The thought that his daughter missed him was warming, but also heartbreaking at the same time. He hated imagining her upset or suffering from separation syndrome because of him. He hoped they would find a solution soon. A month away from his daughter…and from Tobirama, had been brutal. Madara barely slept, even less than the weeks after returning from the Daimyo’s court.

He stepped forward, straight to Tobirama, sparing not even a glance for the other alpha. His gaze was fixed on his daughter, who squealed happily the instant she saw him.

Hashirama didn’t take it as an offense, only grinning at the display. Tobirama rolled his eyes slightly and carefully loosened the strings holding Yume to his body. Once she was free, he handed her to Madara.

“Your daughter is a menace.” Tobirama proclaimed.

“My daughter?” Madara raised a brow as he inhaled his baby girl’s scent.

“Yes. Your daughter. I was much quieter as a child than she is, which means you must have been a menace yourself when you were a baby.”

Next to them, Hashirama chuckled, but his grin faltered when Tobirama continued. “Or she inherited her hyperactivity and mood swings from Anija, which I hope not. One is more than enough.”

“Oi.”

“Hyperactivity? Mood swings? What exactly do you mean? She seems quite happy to me.”

“Yes, because Yume is happy to feel her tousan.”

At Madara’s bewildered expression, Tobirama added, “She’s a sensor.”

“Oh.” Hearing that Madara couldn’t resist reaching out with his own sensor abilities, which resulted in a happy squealing Yume.

“Yes, oh.”, Tobirama huffed, “But that’s not the point. Just wait until she’s hungry and isn’t fed immediately. Or when it’s time for a bath. She hates it for whatever reason. She gets bored easily, even watching Kagami train. When I started exercising again, she screamed until I secured her against my chest. She likes it when I’m moving around with her strapped to my chest. She’s also very demanding, and very stubborn.”

There was a chuckle coming from the gate and Madara slightly turned with a scowl. Izuya and Misaki were trying hard not to laugh, and Tajima, who stood supported by a cane, hid his amusement behind some faked coughs.

“What?”

“Well, the description is quite accurate. You, too, hated to be bathed and you loved when your mother or I did exercises with you strapped on our back or chest.” Tajima snickered before he straightened. “But that aside. I’d like to meet my granddaughter.”

With a slight scoff and a short “Come” at the Senju, Madara turned completely and walked with Yume in his arms up to his family, or at least to those that were present. Izuna was currently on patrol and would meet his niece later when it was time for dinner.

“Yume. Meet your aunt Misaki-obasan, your uncle Izuya-ojisan and your grandfather Tajima-jiji. You three meet your niece and granddaughter, Senju Yume.”

“Oh, she’s so cute.” Misaki cooed, offering a finger for her niece to take.

“She’s a beauty.” Izuya smiled brightly.

“She’s indeed. Congratulations son, Tobirama.” Tajima said fondly, looking at both Madara and Tobirama.

“Thank you.”

----

It took an hour until everyone was settled around the chabudai in the main house’s living room. Madara learned firsthand how quickly Yume’s mood could shift when she got hungry and how just as quickly she turned from upset to content once fed.

He had watched with fascination, but also with a hint of horror, because Tobirama had been right. Nobody needed a second Hashirama, who could switch from laughter to tears and back again within seconds. Not that Madara was any better with his temper. Oh kami, what if she ended up like both of them? He was not sure the world would survive a mixed version of Hashirama and Madara.

“So, we have several things to discuss. First, the village. Do we, or more precisely do our clans, want to live in one? And if yes, how long do we wait before starting construction?” Tobirama began once he had settled into his seat after putting Yume and Kagami down for a nap.

“We held a clan meeting.” Hikaku replied. “Opinions differ about timing, but everyone is willing to give the idea of a shared village a chance. Madara-sama suggested starting construction as soon as possible. As you already know, many of our houses need repairs or are on the verge of collapse. Restoring them would cost a fortune in money and resources, and all of it would be wasted if they are abandoned soon after. So, we asked the affected families if they would agree to an experiment.”

“Experiment?” Hashirama titled his head in question.

“Yes. The plan is to begin building the first residences for both Uchiha and Senju. Those willing might move in before winter. That way, we can see how well both sides integrate in a new environment.”

“I see.” Tobirama said. “This way, we can test whether we can live together, not just fight together. It will also give those still hesitant more time to adjust to the idea.”

“Exactly. Besides, there is no need to rush. We will need time to raise money and gather resources, at least if we don’t want to ask for help from outside.”

“You mean falling into debt to the new Daimyo.”

“Precisely. I think we can agree that would be unwise.” Everyone nodded.

“What about the other clans?” Hashirama asked. “We haven’t heard anything yet, but the Sarutobi and Nara seemed very interested. I had hoped they would have written already, but it seems I was wrong.”

“I don’t think you were wrong about their interest.” Madara cut in. “But I assume they are waiting to see what we do. Whether we truly intend to build a village, and if so, whether we can actually live together. At least, that is what I would do. Our clans have been at war for centuries. No matter how well things look now, the chance that everything collapses before it even begins is much higher than the chance it succeeds. So better to watch and stay out of it than get involved and pay the price. That is what the other clans are probably thinking right now.”

“Exactly my thought.” Tobirama agreed, his gaze directed at his brother. While Madara spoke, Hashirama’s lips had twisted more and more into a pout, like he had heard this all before and still didn’t like it.

Hashirama threw his hands in the air. “Fine. Probably you’re right.” He crossed his arms and looked away like a stubborn brat who had not gotten his candy.

“Yeah, well. Anyway. What about your clan?” Madara drawled, shifting his gaze from Hashirama to Tobirama.

“We haven’t made any specific proposals as you have, but of course we spoke with them. Most are wary, which is understandable, but the number completely opposed to the idea has shrunk greatly over the past months. I believe we will find some families willing to move before winter. However, this also means one of us has to be there. As leaders we cannot simply move our people to another place without guaranteeing protection. I assume you already have a plan?”

“Uhm, yeah.” Madara rubbed his cheek. “I thought maybe you and I could, uhm, you know…with Yume. It might show how serious we are.”

“Wait. You want my brother and niece to move in with you? Alone?” Hashirama cut in sharply. “You want him to leave his home, his nest, and…Do I have to remind you that you are not mated yet?”

“Anija.”

“No. I refuse, Otouto.”

“Anija.”

“If you’re against it, then it could also be you.” Madara snarled, clearly annoyed. “The idea in general is that either the clan head or an heir from each side will move.”

“No, that is not an option either.”

“Damn it, why not?”

“Because Anija does not like the thought of me out of his sight.” Tobirama huffed.

Madara groaned. “Then what? It has to be one of you if we want to show a united front.”

“Why not both of us?” Hashirama whined.

“If it’s both of you, then it also has to be me and Hikaku to keep the balance. What picture do you think that paints if we leave the rest of our clans without either a clan head or an heir?”

“They managed without us when we attended the Daimyo’s court.”

“That was only for two weeks. Come on, Hashirama, don’t be stupid. You know we still have enemies out there who might try to sabotage our peace. We cannot leave our people unattended for months.”

“Madara is right, Anija. And think of Yume. It will be much healthier for her to have both her parents around.”

“They will not be alone either. At least one of us can move in and act as their chaperone. You just have to trust them, and us.” Misaki joined in.

“Should they be back by then, Touka-san and Sango-san can also join. You trust your cousin, right?” Izuya said.

“Of course I trust them.” Hashirama pouted.

“Before we decide on anything, we should discuss the layout of the village. Where do we want to place certain buildings? Where should the compounds go, including those of any future clans? You know the Nara and Inuzuka, for example, will want to stay near the forest. Their bond with animals is too important.”

“Why don’t you show your plan? I’m almost certain you already have a blueprint.” Madara grinned, knowing he was right because Hashirama had told him.

Tobirama flushed and, sure enough, pulled a stack of scrolls out of his sleeve.
Moments later, three different scrolls were spread across the table.

“Wow. You did this all yourself?” Izuya whistled.

“Hm.”

“How long?” Madara asked quietly, tracing the lines with his finger. Hashirama had mentioned Tobirama made a few plans, but he had not said how detailed or well thought-out they were.

Tobirama kept his eyes down as he answered. “Since the first time Anija told me about his and your dream. So, eight years?”

Everyone stared, and Tobirama flushed even more. To escape their gazes, he excused himself for a moment to check on Yume and Kagami.

“This is impressive.” Mito said at last, breaking the silence after Tobirama left.

“Yes, indeed.”

“What’s this?” Hanna pointed at a spot.

“It’s marked as an administration building. Probably where the leader or leaders will have their seat.”

“It’s not in the center, but from there you’d have a very good overview of the village. And with the cliff at its back, it would be difficult to attack. Not if you secure the top properly.” Madara mused. “And placing the academy right next to it adds another layer of protection for the children, considering the leaders will be among the strongest Shinobi.”

“Only the strongest? Don’t you think a leader should be chosen for more than just strength?”

“Don’t tell me you’d allow a civilian to lead a Shinobi village just because they have a kind heart.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“No civilian will lead a Shinobi village. This is not the capital.” Tobirama cut in before the two alphas could rile each other up. He settled back into his seat beside his brother, Yume in his arms. “Civilians will have a representative in the council, but the leader will always be a Shinobi. Not necessarily the strongest, but someone with the right skills, experience in leadership, and the respect of the people. You don’t want to follow someone you can’t respect.”

“But you can’t expect everyone to like or respect one person either. And how will we decide who is capable and who isn’t?” Hikaku said.

“You’re right. Our own clans prove well enough that not everyone respects those above them. And the more clans join, the harder it will be to keep everyone united. That’s why it’s important to choose carefully or at least choose someone the majority accepts. To measure a candidate’s worth, we could list criteria they must fulfill: skill, strength, mindset, experience, age.”

Tobirama pulled out another scroll. “I’ve thought about a Shinobi rank system. The lowest would be Genin, followed by Chūnin, then Jōnin, and finally the title of village leader, whatever that may be called.” The others leaned in as he spoke. “Genin would be mostly children who graduate from the academy at twelve, with the skills to walk the Shinobi path. My idea is to place three Genin under one Jōnin as their teacher. When the Jōnin decides they’re ready, they can take a test. If they pass, they become Chūnin. If not, they remain Genin and try again. The same for reaching Jōnin.”

“Kami, do we even have to do anything? It feels like you’ve already sorted everything out.” Madara breathed, stunned rather than mocking.

Tobirama snorted. “These are only ideas. There’s still much to consider.”

“Only ideas? Tobirama, you worked out an entire system, even one for missions. It’s brilliant.”

“Madara is right. Don’t downplay your work. You’ve spent years on this, and it shows. These are very well thought-out plans.” Several heads nodded, and Tobirama flushed again. He was not used to so much praise, especially all at once.

“Uhm. Thanks, I suppose. But before we go deeper into rankings, we should decide on the locations of our compounds. As I said, those are just ideas. I couldn’t be sure if you’d agree,

so I kept it to a minimum.”

“Minimum, he says.” Izuya muttered to his sister, who giggled.

“I don’t see an issue with where you placed them. Both are close to the center and…”

“Wait, wait. Just one second. Madara, you suggested you and Tobirama be among the first to move into the village. What does that mean exactly? That Tobirama will live with the Uchiha and then move back to the Senju later? Or will he stay with you permanently and just visit?”

“Well, it makes more sense if we share a home. After all, we cannot forget Yume.”

“But you’re neither mated nor married. Furthermore… Furthermore, I don’t want to live apart from my only family.”

“What do you mean apart? We’ll be in the same village, just a few yards away. And you’ll have your own mate, Mito-hime. That is, if you decide to marry at all.”

“No. That’s not good. I can’t.” Hashirama stood, his heart hammering. His mind was only just registering what it meant. What Tobirama and Madara being mates meant.

“Hashirama. What’s wrong?”

“Wrong? I’ll tell you what’s wrong. I can’t live without my brother, alright? I need… I have to know he’s safe. I… I need him close. Not… I mean, I want… I… ahhh. Damn it. I know it sounds strange, but he’s all that’s left of my family. Him and Touka. And now Yume. I… I want to be there. I want to see her grow up. I want my brother to see my children grow up, should I have any. I want…”

Tobirama handed Yume to Madara, who took her without hesitation. Then he walked over to his pacing brother. He stepped directly into Hashirama’s path and wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling his brother’s nose against his neck and scent gland.

“I’m here, Anija. Breathe.”

“I…”

“I know. The current plans were drawn up without considering one of us marrying into the Uchiha. But we can adjust.” Tobirama looked over his brother’s shoulder toward the others, toward Madara and Mito in special.

“Would you be open to a shared home? Some kind of estate where the Senju and Uchiha main families live together. Placed between both compounds. A symbol of unity.”

Madara looked at his family, then back at Tobirama. With a shrug he said, “I see no issue with it. We can build one large enough so everyone has their space. Just…uh. Forget it. One step at a time.”

Tobirama could guess what Madara had left unsaid but chose not to voice it. He agreed silently. That was something for the future, when they would truly share a nest. Until then, he would not deny his brother the comfort of slipping into his nest whenever he needed it.

His attention shifted to Mito, who had tilted her head slightly. “I don’t think I have any right to share my opinion. Hashirama and I are not mated, nor am I a member of either clan.”

“But you might become one. So let’s hear it.”

Mito’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “In that case, I see no issue either. But I would like to know if we plan to set rules. We will live like a pack, yet it won’t be a normal one. There will be two clan heads under one roof, after all.”

“I think we can come up with something.”

Only then did Hashirama finally relax in his brother’s hold.

“Okay?” Tobirama whispered, earning a nod in response. Louder, he said, “With that settled for now, we should discuss who we want to hire for the detailed work, and from where we will gather resources.”

“Or we could take a break from this topic and switch to another important one.” Mito suggested while sipping her tea.

“What other topic?” Misaki asked curiously.

“The seal placed on Tobirama and Madara.” The Uchiha stiffened. “I examined the one on Tobirama.” Mito continued. “It’s the same as the one on Madara. I attempted to remove it, but without success. However, I may have an idea.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But before I try, I must confirm my theory.”

“Please elaborate. What is your theory?” Madara asked, his voice tight as his patience thinned. Only Yume’s small, disgruntled noises kept him from snapping.

Completely unmoved by his tone, Mito held his gaze for a moment before answering. “My guess is that both seals are connected. Tobirama said he could feel a foreign chakra signature when the seal was activated. If the same signature appears on yours, and there is little doubt that it does, then it’s possible that both seals can only be broken when they are active at the same time.”

“I see.”

“Shall we attempt it now, or do you wish to wait?” Mito’s gaze moved between Tobirama and Madara, who exchanged a look before both nodded.

“Let’s try!”

Chapter Text

They agreed to use the guestroom Tobirama and Hashirama had been placed in. They also decided to keep the number of people small, so aside from Mito it was only Hikaku and Hashirama who would oversee the procedure and assist her, while the twins and Tajima distracted Kagami and Yume.

Madara and Tobirama lay down side by side, their shoulders barely touching. Hashirama sat close to Tobirama, while Hikaku positioned himself next to Madara. Mito knelt at the top between their heads, placing one hand on each of their foreheads.

“Try to relax. Do not fight me. Remember who is here with you, and that no one present will let anything happen to you. But be aware it might still hurt. This seal is unknown to me and my clan. I cannot make any predictions. Your memories might return completely, only in fragments, or be erased altogether. Provided I can even break it, which is far from certain. I will not list all the other possibilities, since I am sure you already know them. But I must still ask. Are you sure you want to proceed?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Uchiha-san, Uchiha-sama. As I understand, you can share memories through the Sharingan.” Hikaku nodded. “Then use it. Begin with the earliest memory tied to the mission and move forward until the block. That will be the moment the seal activates. Do not withdraw but push through the fog. At the same time, I will build a connection between your minds and start breaking down the seal little by little. Hopefully.”

“Is there anything I can do?” Hashirama asked quietly.

“Yes. Monitor their health. Watch for any changes in their nervous system, especially around their brains. Can you manage that?”

“This requires considerable chakra control, but if I must, I will.” Hashirama reached out, taking Tobirama’s hand between his own and pressing it against his chest, meeting his brother’s eyes with determination.

Tobirama knew his brother was not as skilled as himself in chakra control, but still far above average. “I trust you,” he said. “You know I feel safe with you. It will be fine.”

“You will not hear any complaints from me. So, I suggest we begin before something else demands our attention. I want this seal gone.” Madara muttered, his patience thinning.

“Then move a little, so I can sit between you.”

Madara grumbled but shifted enough for Hashirama to kneel between them. He placed one hand on each of their chests, and when his palms began glowing green he gave Mito a firm nod.

“Alright. Let us begin.” Mito breathed, closing her eyes in concentration. Tobirama and Hashirama followed suit.

Hikaku leaned over Madara, Sharingan spinning in both their eyes.

For several minutes, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the seals began to surface, dark markings spreading across Madara’s and Tobirama’s foreheads.

----

Madara’s memory

Again, he found himself in his office at home. Again, he listened to the report of a group of slavers and about the mission to infiltrate them. Again, he saw the blank stare of the slaver, Jiro, whom he had killed to take his place. And again, he saw the scene where he met Tobirama in his own disguise, how they were interrupted by another who bumped into them and spilled an entire drink over them, forcing them to leave for a change of clothes.

And like all other times, before Madara reached his room, a strange feeling of being watched made him stop in his tracks.

However, this time, when he turned, the fog clouding his memory was less thick. He could make out a black shape moving maybe an arm’s length away. He tried to reach out to whoever or whatever it was, but right then he felt a sharp sting, like a needle, in his neck.

Almost immediately his body was flooded by a deep ache and want. His sense of smell sharpened while his vision blurred. The speed of the change was so sudden that Madara barely registered he was going into rut.

Madara couldn’t tell if he was still fighting the block around his mind or if his memories were free but clouded due to his rut-fogged state. If it was the latter, then it must have been a very strong dose, because Madara could barely make out anything.

That was until his nose caught the best scent he had ever smelled. The scent of fresh water after a cold night, with a sweet note lingering in it.

His mouth watered, even more so when his blurred vision landed on the pale figure emanating that delicious scent.

The figure lay on a bed, panting and squirming, not yet aware of the predator inside the room. Something the alpha used to his advantage, letting his gaze wander over that pretty body.

The omega was naked and lay on his stomach, giving Madara a perfect view of white skin covered in red markings that ran like swirls from the neck down to the lower back. For a brief moment, Madara thought he had seen something similar before, but he couldn’t remember when or where.

Because right then, the omega moved up his hips, presenting a well-defined white ass and thighs. Though his focus was on the hand, or mostly on the fingers that disappeared in a wet and tight pink hole.

Kami, Madara’s rut blurred mind couldn’t withstand. His alpha demanded to take this omega, to make him his. Such beautiful creatures shouldn’t be ignored and suffer. And suffer he did. The omega was clearly in heat, and from the sounds it was a painful one. That the omega still hadn’t noticed him, also was worrying. Was something wrong with his sense of smell? Madara was sure that his alpha scent was already stinking up the entire room they were in and half of the floor outside, marking it at his territory and warning any other alpha that might come close.

As carefully as his rut blurred mind allowed, Madara stepped closer, though unaware of leaving a track of clothes behind him. When he reached the bed, Madara was also naked, and more than ready to mount the omega. But something, something deep down, was also holding him back.

He knew he wouldn’t be able to withstand the omega, but something inside him refused to just take him like he was a complete mindless beast. No, he absolutely refused to hurt this precious treasure. Instead, he wanted to worship the beauty in front of him, making sure the omega would love each second of their mating.

So, it was with caution and slow movements that Madara climbed on the bed, his eyes never leaving the moving fingers.

Like any other males, omega males had only one hole. But unlike betas and alphas that hole served two purposes. Reproduction and excretion of body waste. That means behind that opening are two different passages. One for the usual use to empty the colon and the other for sex and birth. The body works automatically. As soon as there is pressure coming from outside, the passage to the colon would close up and give the intruder entrance to the reproduction passage. It’s similar to breathing and swallowing through the mouth. The air passage closes automatically if someone eats or drinks.

It was only when Madara leaned over the slender body that the omega finally noticed him, but by then it was too late. Madara was broader, bigger, and much stronger. Something the omega realized and therefore submitted almost immediately after a short attempt of struggling away.

Neither of them said anything. It wasn’t necessary. Omega and alpha knew there was no escape. And strangely enough, neither of them seemed to mind. Madara pushed himself up and looked down in expectation. With glee he watched the hand between them disappear, allowing free way to rub his erection against the wet and fluttering hole.

Madara would have liked to lick and to prepare the beauty under him properly, but the pleading and slightly painful sounds let him know what was mostly needed right now. The pain the omega was in wouldn’t go away until being knotted.

So, with slow and careful moves of his hips, Madara rubbed against the tight hole a few more times before pressing the tip of his erection inside. Beneath him the omega tensed at the intrusion, which caused Madara to stop his movements as well.

To sooth the omega in relaxation, Madara let his hands wander around slender hips, a slightly muscled back and well-formed ass cheeks. Here and there one hand would also wander to the omega’s stomach and from there lower to the tip of the omega’s leaking cock. Whenever touched, the omega moaned and shuddered, allowing Madara to slip further inside.

When halfway inside, the omega pressed his upper body more into the sheets, while spreading his thighs and pushing his hips upwards. At that moment Madara’s entire focus was on his lower part. The sudden change of angle allowed him better access, and it was with a delighted purr and heavy grunt that he watched himself disappearing completely inside that tight hole after three more thrusts.

It felt like bliss. Never did he feel anything better. It was like the omega, and his insides were made for him. It was a perfect fit. He could even feel how the tip of his erection reached the end and pressed against something soft. His alpha purred at the image, did it mean they were able to reach the hidden cervix that directly led to the uterus. They just needed to manage to breach it and knot the omega right then and there.

Madara’s hand wandered to the omega’s lower stomach. With a little imagination he could feel himself and where he was buried.

He wasn’t sure how long, but at some point the omega wiggled and give out a demanding tone, signaling Madara to move.

He was more than ready to oblige. With both his hands on the slender hips, he slowly withdraws until only the tip was still inside. He pushed back slightly faster than before, but still mindful not to be hurtful. And just like that Madara repeated the movement, starting at a slow pace that quickly turned into a much faster one.

After a minute or so, the omega met each of Madara’s thrusts with his own, filling the room with the clapping sound of skin to skin, grunts, and moans.

Soon enough Madara felt his knot forming. He leaned forward, covering the omega’s body with his own. With the new angle Madara managed to slip even further in. Each thrust now hitting the hidden entrance at the back of the fluttering hole.

One of his hands wandered to a pale one to intervene fingers, while he placed the other on the omega’s stomach. Now that he was moving, he could indeed feel himself under that white skin.

His alpha felt immensely smug about the knowledge to have a cock large enough to feel it like that, completely ignoring that it could also be because their omega was too thin. But right now, this wasn’t their focus. Right now, it was about removing the pain and replacing it with pleasure. To give the omega what he wants most. Madara’s knot and seed.

Madara’s pace quickened even more. His thrusts became faster, harder, more animalistic. The body beneath him shuddered. A deep moan left the omega’s mouth. There was a warm splatter of fluid hitting Madara’s hand still lying on the now constricting stomach. The wet and warm walls clenched almost painfully around Madara’s thick cock.

Due to the climax, the cervix finally relaxed enough for Madara to enter it with one final hard thrust and to push his knot inside. Behind his eyes the world exploded in pleasure when his own climax hit. He was barely aware of the omega shooting when Madara’s knot expanded and tied them together. But that was because Madara was distracted by the constricting walls around him, milking him to the last drop of his seed that painted the walls behind the cervix. 

Both were panting. Madara was also rubbing his face against the neck and back while making soothing sounds. The urge to bite the omega was strong, and he probably would when there wouldn’t be a collar around the omega’s neck. Madara recognized it as one specially made for omega whores. They were nearly unbreakable and could be used for punishment.

Madara growled. Did he fall into a trap? Was this a set up? Shit. He needed…There was a sharp nip at his neck…He needed…What did he need?

There was movement beneath him. A scent like nothing else hit his nose and caused his blood to move downwards, right into his swelling cock that was still buried in something wet, warm, and very tight.

All thoughts left his mind except for one. Breeding the omega beneath him.

----

Tobirama was panting when he woke up. He could still feel hands on his far too hot body, could feel something moving deep inside him. But worst, he could still feel the collar around his neck.

His hands flew up to his neck, and he instinctively clawed at something that wasn’t there. Only skin, smooth and soft that quickly turned irritated and blooded due to his panicking state.

Then there were those hands. He could still feel them on his body, but there were also hands prying his own away from his neck.

“…o.”

Tobirama needed to flee. He needed to fight.

“…uto.”

Why is he so hot? No, no. It can’t be. It shouldn’t…He needed to…

“Otouto.” Suddenly, they were hands pressed against his cheeks. Due to the close proximity a familiar scent reached his nostrils that stopped Tobirama in his tracks. He knew that scent. It meant safety. Home.

“Has…Hashi…Is it you?” Tobirama panted while slowly opening his eyes. His vision was blurred, but he could make out the familiar shape of his brother’s face.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Hashi…I…I’m not…too hot…collar…please re-remove…it from me.” Again, Tobirama reached out to his neck, but his brother stopped him.

“Otouto. Collar? What collar? You’re not wearing one.”

“I…I don’t?”

“No. Here.” This time, Hashirama led Tobirama’s hand to his neck, ready to remove it should he again start to claw at it. For almost an entire minute, Tobirama touched around his neck. His skin felt raw and slightly wet at some spots, but there was nothing else. No collar. Nothing.

“Otouto?”

“I…Why am I so hot?”

“You’re in heat.”

“Heat? What do you mean, Heat? I…” There was again that feeling of something moving inside him, and Tobirama looked a little panicked at the lower part of his body. It was covered by a blanket, so he removed it, but except for an erection there was nothing to see. There was no one above him, no one pressing something inside him.

“Otouto?”

Tobirama startled and flushed bright red when he realized that his brother had an open view of his erect cock. He quickly let the blanket fall back to cover himself before asking, “Why…why am I naked? And why am I in heat? It…it shouldn’t be…possible. And, uhm, where are the others?”

“Are you embarrassed, little brother?” Tobirama slightly ducked, which was enough answer. “You’re aware that I have seen you naked just a week ago, right? That I know your body like nobody else does?”

“Uhm, yeah. It’s just…I never…I mean. I never had…” Tobirama pointed at the spot where his erect cock pressed against the blanket. Hashirama laughed and leaned forward so that his face was above Tobirama’s.

With a snicker he said, “Otouto. You’re really cute. This is just a natural reaction while in heat. Your body craves for pleasure. It craves for an alpha. And assuming of what you remembered when the seal broke and how both you and Madara reacted to it you received it. Unfortunately, it also triggered your heat and Madara’s rut. You might not have noticed yet, but we are in Hikaru’s home right now. And we will stay here until you and Madara are out of heat and rut.”

“Heat. But how?” Tobirama slightly flinched when Hashirama touched the irritated skin around his neck. Though with the following green glow, the pain soon vanished.

“You remember what we discussed after we discovered that you’re pregnant?” Tobirama stared at his brother, though his eyes were unfocused while his mind was somewhere else. It was a moment later, Hashirama could see them focus again and being fixed on him.

“So, you think my body as healed up enough for me to go into heat again, an actually heat and not this mini heats Yumiko had spoken of?” Hashirama shrugged.

“I don’t know. Your heat is stronger than those you had before, but you can also still think straight. Maybe it’s just stronger because of Madara having gone into rut. And believe me, he’s far from thinking rationally. He almost ripped Mito’s arm out when he woke a short moment after the seal was broken. Luckily, Mito was fast enough to dodge him. I restrained him and moved you out and away. Wouldn’t it have been for his siblings and Tajima, Madara might have burned the main house to get you.”

“Oh. How…how long was I out?”

“Two hours.”

“And where is Yume? Kagami?”

“Yume is right here.” Hashirama pointed with his head to a spot not far from Tobirama’s right. When he looked at the spot, he saw his daughter lying in a crib, sleeping. “Kagami isn’t happy to be away from you, but I didn’t want to assume you’d like him to see you like this. Yume is one thing. She’s still a baby and needs to be fed by you. But Kagami, unless you want to, he will stay with Hikaku until your heat is over.”

“I don’t know. Is it normal for omegas in heat to keep their children close?”

“I’d assume not. From what I can remember of our mother, we were always kept away when she went into heat, no matter if Butsuma was home or not.”

“That’s not exactly something I’d take as standard.”

“No, but it makes sense if you consider what an omega in heat means. I doubt you’d like to have your children around and watching how your alpha is…”

“Okay, okay. Point taken. Uh. Do we have some water? I’m thirsty.” Tobirama rasped.

“Of course.” Hashirama stood and moved to a table on the other side of the room. From there he took a tray and brought it over, placing it next to the futon Tobirama was lying in.

Tobirama sat up, which caused the blanket to slip from his upper body, immediately reminding him of his state. “Uh, you haven’t answered my other question? Why am I naked?”

Hashirama handed the cup of water to Tobirama while answering, “Well, let’s say whatever you dreamed or remembered resulted in a certain reaction I rather not going into detail. Then there are also the other side effects then came naturally with being in heat. Being hot, producing slick, and well, I just kind of thought it easier to cover you with a blanket instead of changing your clothes every few hours.”

Again, a flush sprout across Tobirama’s face and turned the tips of his ears bright red.

“Oh. I see.” Now aware, Tobirama finally realized what he was feeling moving inside him. It was the slick his body was producing and that was slowly trickling out, making everything wet. Eh, yeah, no. He didn’t want Kagami around that mess.

“Uhm, as much as I love him, but I think I prefer Kagami staying with Hikaku until I have back control over my body. This is…rather disgusting.” Tobirama slightly squirmed in the hope of getting off that wet feeling around his privates. Unfortunately, the movement had rather the opposite effect. It resulted in the blanket rubbing against the sensitive tip of his erection, which promptly elicited a moan from him.

And if that wasn’t enough, the pleasuring feeling triggered his body to produce even more slickness. It was embarrassing. Tobirama could do nothing but put his head into his hands while his older brother tried hard not to laugh.