Red eyes from father to son

by Hilimi

Summary:

The first time Tobirama used his time travel seal, he created a distortion between time and space. The last time he used it, these two moments linked, connected and merged.

Instead of teleporting to kill Izuna Uchiha, a thirty Tobirama Senju appears and collapses in the middle of a still and silent battlefield.

The problem?

Apart from the obvious, Madara is slightly forced to understand that peace is coming whether he wants it to or not, as a young Uchiha arrives with a Mangekyou and insists on calling Tobirama Senju "Dad".
Yeah... Kagami Uchiha intends to protect his father.

Chapter 1

   Tobirama could feel the brothers around him, slowly approaching like the confident and capable predators they were, and he ignored his ringing ears as best he could. That blow to his head had hurt so much that he couldn't see much, and he really couldn't hear anything besides a horribly unpleasant high-pitched whistle, so he concentrated on his chakra perception.
Something was wrong.

    - Oh no, Kagami...

   Tobirama watched in horror as Kagami Uchiha-Senju emerged from the trees, a swirling Sharingan in his eyes, running towards him. There was something different about this Sharingan, it transformed Kagami's chakra, it was a kind of... Madara. This chakra reminded him of Madara. Kagami had activated the Mangekyou Sharingan, which was wonderful, but... he wouldn't survive, Tobirama already knew that. 'They' wouldn't survive. He had to get Kagami away from here, he had to get his beloved son away from danger even if it killed him.

   Tobirama thanked the Senju deities again that Kagami had agreed to let Tobirama put one of his numerous seals on his skin. He was to teleport Kagami to Konoha and try to go with him, so at least their family would have a body to bury. 

   Instead of focusing on his healing, Tobirama let his chakra flow through him with his blood with every heartbeat and inhaled deeply. He ignored the pain, the fear, and the nagging feeling of being called away on another journey where most of his family was waiting for him.

    - "Activation," he murmured, determined.

   His vision turned perfectly white and an electric current ran through his body, burning his chakra and his perception of the world disappeared in an intense flash before reappearing...

   He was not in Konoha.

   Nor was he safe if he was to judge by the sounds of battle. He landed hard on a dirt floor and groaned at the consuming pain pulsing from his wounds. In a last-ditch effort Tobirama ignited his chakra with his last bit of strength. He wasn't quite rational anymore, he knew it, or maybe he was just dead. He was reunited with his family, so he reached out to the presence that meant eternal safety and protection for him.

    - Anija...

   His perception disappeared but the protective cry passed the ringing in his ears, but it was too late for more, Tobirama passed out into a gentle unconsciousness.

Chapter 2

   Hashirama didn't understand much of what was going on today. It had started like dozens of other days, with an impressive battle that would last all day. He was fighting Madara as usual with devastating jutsu, each of them keeping an eye on their little brothers to be ready to save them at every moment, when suddenly, the air shook and ripped in a white flash of intensity that forced everyone to look away.

   A surge of chakra had screamed for help and Hashirama had rushed over recognizing the chakra of his little brother in distress, followed as usual closely by Madara who stopped as he did at the strange sight before his eyes.

   It was Tobirama... in double.

   His brother was tired but healthy on his left, and across from him was Izuna, who looked just as perplexed as his brother, and between them... another Tobirama.

    - "Kai," Madara murmured.

    - "It's not an illusion," his brother muttered.

    - "Kai," Hashirama said in turn, trying to dispel an illusion, but nothing changed.

    - Brother?

    - It's you, Tobirama, it's... it's you. What do you feel?

    - "His chakra is no different than mine," the young albino finally admitted. "But he's exhausted, and...his technique matches something I've been working on recently. My best guess would be that he's a future version of me who traveled through time and the white lightning took him across dimensions."

    - "Two Tobirama, is this a joke?" Izuna complained to Madara further away among the curious Uchiha gathered closer.

    - "And he's injured," Touka helpfully pointed out. "So if you want him to live, you'll have to treat him."

    - "Are you crazy, we have to be careful, have you seen his headband?" Tobirama exclaimed, making everyone look at old Tobirama's hapuri.

   A stylized leaf... this was not the Senju emblem, nor any Clan that recognized...

    - "But it's you," Hashirama objected logically.

    - Maybe it's a trap.

    - But you said he had your chakra.

    - I know, but it could still be a trap.

   Suddenly, the man moved and spoke in a deep, deep voice that sounded like his little brother but wasn't exactly the same:

    - Anija...

   He held out his hand weakly to 'Hashirama', who flinched. He was standing in front of a man who was calling for help, who was coming 'to him' wounded and in distress...

   Tired red eyes looked vaguely in his direction and their gaze met.

   No matter how old he was, no matter where he came from, Hashirama would always recognize his brother, and he would always save him.

Chapter 3

    - "That moron!" Madara hissed as he saw his - former - best friend rush to the aid of a second Tobirama Senju summoned by the first.

    - What?

    - This is dangerous and he's going to help him without thinking!

   Izuna looked at the scene again before frowning at 'him', as if 'Madara' was somehow the asshole of the situation.

    - If it was an older me that was summoned, wouldn't you have done the same?

    - What? That's not the point, I'm just saying that in terms of caution you should-

    - "As an older brother, you should just approve of him," Izuna said with a pointed sidelong glance.

   Madara spluttered, one eye still on the Senju, but it was clear that the mystery was far too intriguing for anyone to want to continue fighting blindly.

    - "Hey, if Senju tries again, maybe he'll summon an old version of me!" Izuna exclaimed.

   This assumption was immediately followed by an "Oh no, Amaterasu-sama, please no, anything but that" from their cousin Hikaku.

    - Shut up Hikaku!

    - "Hmm? Oh, I was just doing my daily prayer to Amaterasu-sama," their cousin innocently pretended with an innocent smile.

   Their cousin was 'not' innocent. He never was.

    - "Or maybe an older version of Madara," Izuna continued. "One with white hair and lots of wrinkles."

   This time Madara heard 'a dozen' prayers.

    - "Shut up!" he shouted. "And you, shut up, I'll look great ten or twenty years older!"

    - "In your dreams," Tobirama Senju junior replied curtly. "You're not even good-looking to begin with."

    - Otouto! That's not very polite!

    - "Especially for someone who had a brother with ridiculous pudding basin hair style for years!" Madara replied. "Your sense of taste clearly leaves more to be desired than mine."

    - "Maybe it's because I'm almost completely blind," the young man of his brother's age said aggressively, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

   What nerve! And then... what?

    - "Blind?!" Izuna exclaimed from beside him.

    - Hashirama, what is he talking about?

    - "Hmm?" the Senju said distractedly, busy treating the pseudo stranger. "Oh, Tobirama is albino, his skin is very thin and his eyes are very..."

    - Useless.

    - "Fragile," Hashirama declared without worrying about his brother's interruptions, clearly they were used to it. "And frankly I can confirm that this guy has childhood scars that match yours, you're probably right."

    - Like most of the time.

   Hashirama laughed and Madara still didn't understand why he put up with this arrogant albino, being tall, strong, smart, cunning, passionate and witty were certainly not redeeming qualities, definitely not, no.

Chapter 4

    - "Where the hell did I get to?"

   Kagami sighed. Healthy trees typical of the Fire Kingdom, a clear blue sky, a day lit by bright sunshine... he wasn't where he'd been - which was cool, considering their situation, but now there were a few important questions he really needed to answer. First question: where was his father? Second question: where was he? Third question: how long had they been stuck in time during the time and space "jump" between the two seals activated by his awesome father?

   The Second Hokage had once frightened the whole village by disappearing for a whole week using this same type of seal, while for him everything was as usual, an instantaneous disappearance and reappearance.

   The young Uchiha-Senju didn't recognize the place where he had landed, it was just a place lost in a forest, nothing caught his eye... oh, no, there was something. There, on a tree just behind him, a kunai stuck in the bark bore a teleportation seal from his father, but...

    - "How strange," he murmured softly to himself.

   This version of his father's work was at least a few years old, more than a decade, the enhancements and safeguards present on the versions he had tattooed on himself and his son's bodies were far more advanced and would probably be even more so one day.

   The young man landed on a root and stretched carefully. He checked his wounds knowing that this was what his father would have wanted and was reassured, few wounds and no poisons, Senju healing techniques were really quite advanced, especially with Uncle Hashirama being a natural genius and his father being able to invent just about anything.

   Reassured about his condition, he allowed himself to finally look. Slowly, Kagami carefully extended his chakra, deploying his perception of his surroundings with the caution to be adopted in unfamiliar terrain. Nothing around. He rubbed his face in disappointment before wincing. His cheeks were stained and wet, it was really unpleasant. He wiped his face before stopping when he saw the state of the back of his hand. Blood. It was blood dripping from his eyes, sliding down like macabre tears... creepy. He pulled out a kunai to look at himself in his reflection. His eyes, his Sharingan... it was not the same. The three tomoe that had been there before had disappeared, replaced by a pattern connecting them with strange black geometric lines.

   He returned his eyes to their original black state and began to walk at random, his father would be able to help him with this, as with everything else anyway.

Chapter 5

   Tobirama wasn't exactly living his best life, probably because an older version of himself was lying on the ground, unconscious and surrounded by the thick pool of blood, in 'his' armour, with 'his' fur and 'his' hapuri wearing an emblem that wasn't his. He didn't want to imagine what it might mean, but he did. If he was no longer a Senju, then he had been banished or married off, and since no shinobi clan known of the Senju had that emblem, it had to be banishment... and that was much worse. Since the death of their father, Hashirama was the leader of their clan, he was the only one who could banish a member of the clan and especially of the main line, so for him to have chosen to banish Tobirama, his devoted and loyal little brother... it was that he had done something unforgivable. Tobirama considered himself first and foremost a thinker, a researcher, a scientist, he was made for it and had pushed every concept to develop his skills...

   And Tobirama knew what he could have been caught doing to be banished... the resurrection of the dead. He wanted to see his little brothers again, it was an unhealthy obsession but despite himself he was still thinking about it, even if only from a theoretical point of view. Either he had been caught in the middle of an experiment, or he had created an abomination. Or perhaps he had been perverted by his experiments, killing innocent people or Clan members.

   A movement from Madara Uchiha brought his attention back to the moron who served as his older brother's only childhood best friend, and the young man worried in spite of himself that the Uchiha clan leader's attention was not on the injured man and his rival but 'on him'.

   Why was he looking at him?

   His frustration at not being able to stare an opponent in the eye had never been greater, but he knew that the Sharingan could affect him even if he couldn't precisely see the deadly red eyes of his enemies. It was true that most Uchiha's Sharingan were deactivated, and that was the case with Madara and even Izuna, but this hereditary dojutsu could be activated at will with a simple split-second burst of chakra, so caution was always necessary.

   Hashirama huffed and wiped his forehead, obviously tired, and stood up, stretching. Tobirama looked anxiously at his brother and his alter ego.

    - Verdict?

    - "He'll survive," his older brother reassured him, ignoring the fact that it didn't really reassure him.

    There was no doubt about it, Tobirama was worried.

Chapter 6

   Touka was living her best life, she had got a third cousin and this time he was older than her! She was tired of being the oldest because she felt morally obligated to be protective of her two little cousins - taller than her and far more devastating - but that was no longer a problem with a thirty-year-old Tobirama!

   And frankly, just imagining the look on the Elders' faces when she told them that Madara fucking Uchiha had 'blushed' at Tobirama after an exchange of physical comments had made her day. Maybe they would finally choke and let Hashirama have full control of the Clan, maybe they could use the opportunity to change the Council of Elders to the Council of Youth? It was an idea to keep in mind, but there were more pressing matters.

    - "We should bring him back," she finally proposed. "And tomorrow, if he wakes up, we'll interrogate him."

    - "I'm not questioning my little brother!" Hashirama said loudly, clearly offended.

    - "He's older than you," one Uchiha reminded sharply.

    - "Shut up Hikaku," Izuna cut in.

    - "Not that kind of interrogation," Touka sighed. "May I remind you that he's also MY beloved cousin."

   Tobirama rolled his eyes at her smirk when he couldn't even see her accurately and turned away, so Touka offered an amused smile to "Hikaku" who smiled hesitantly before putting on a devilish look Touka already loved.

    - Perhaps we should meet here tomorrow? Peacefully of course.

    - "WHAT?! Why?" Madara questioned.

    - If he's from the future he'll know things that might interest us. Fires, floods, that sort of thing.

   - "Wonderful idea," her clan leader immediately agreed, smiling happily, glad to have found a counterpart to his pacifism among the hotheads. "Let's meet tomorrow at dawn at the river!"

    - We'll be there.

   Touka watched cautiously as the Uchiha retrieved their wounded and chuckled as Hashirama stumbled under the weight of Tobirama Senior, who was even taller and heavier than his still adolescent counterpart.

    - "You're going to be a real hunk," the young woman complimented the albino, who grimaced.

   Tobirama didn't think he was handsome.

    - What do you think, Uchiha?

   Madara blushed even harder at the combined judgment of the two brothers and finally shrugged and turned away.

    - Yeah, he's better than his brother, but with Hashirama it's not really that hard.

   Oh yeah, she was going to have fun.

Chapter 7

     - Um...

   Kagami felt a little confused.

   No.

   Not 'a little confused', more 'I don't understand my life anymore I want daddy to come to my rescue!' confused.

     - What is this nonsense?

   There, in front of him, on the cliff where there should be two faces carved in stone, one of which should be that of his wonderful father - whom he would therefore recognise everywhere - there was nothing. And that was obviously not all, because obviously that would be too simple. There was no more 'village'. Like... nothing at all. No Konoha, everything was as if Konoha had never even existed, Kagami had scanned the area with his Sharingan and found nothing, absolutely 'nothing'.

   That there were differences, that Kagami was willing, it was understandable and almost expected. His father's fatigue and injuries - it seemed serious Kagami couldn't waste any more time away from him - would have inevitably impacted the quality of his chakra work, and it would have taken him longer to get them to make the jump, so... yeah, Kagami expected differences, especially seeing Sarutobi's face as the third stone face next to his father and Uncle Hashi. Danzo's ego would have to be checked, the moron clearly didn't understand that being Hokage wasn't an obvious or even fixed choice. Kagami almost always won against Sarutobi, but he wasn't fit to be Hokage, he didn't want to be Hokage either, and his temperament isn't the most pleasant or peaceful. Danzo too was just a pain in the ass to be around, nobody would want a Hokage like that.

   He probably wouldn't express it that way to the annoying individual in question, he was as touchy as he was annoying.

   So no Sarutobi meant no jumping into the distant future, that was simple, but no KONOHA at all...

   'Sometimes the most obvious and simple assumptions are the best', his father used to say, applying it to many problems.

   Logically, Kagami was in the past, or 'a' past, at a time when Konoha didn't exist and the Senju and Uchiha were probably at war. He had to find his father and be careful not to be spotted, either by Senju or Uchiha wanting to avenge a hereditary dojutsu hunter.

     - Well... okay.

   Kagami set his eyes on fire, ready to run all night in search of his father.

   He would find him, and he would destroy anyone who hurt him.

Chapter 8

     - Aniki, how could you accept such a thing!

   Izuna's older brother groaned wearily and walked away. The fool. The young man took off after him, ignoring his cousin's often wise warning.

     - I advise you to leave him alone.

     - Madara!

     - Later, Izu.

     - But-

     - Look, this day is complicated enough, and the fact that Tobirama Jr. can summon Senju from the future doesn't bode well for the Clan. Imagine if he summoned fighters who weren't born yet? What if he summons an older 'Hashirama'? Or his children?

   The two brothers silently removed their shoes and Izuna tried to imagine a childish version of the new Senju Clan Chief and winced as he walked into his home. He could admit that even he had no desire to see such horror. This tree-loving, empty head waxing lyrical about peace and love could not raise children without contaminating them with his ideas. Well, at least he would need a woman to make his babies with, and such a man was not going to easily find a woman who would have him, which he cheerfully pointed out to his brother.

     - He's engaged to Uzumaki Mito.

   Izuna felt a shiver of that loathsome thing - which may or may not have been fear, Izuna wasn't used to that feeling - slide over him. Uzumaki Mito. For a start, Izuna basically had a complex feeling for this Clan because they had a passionate temperament that he adored, but their chakra was overall water-compatible, which made them naturally unpleasant to people like him, fire-compatible first. And that Uzumaki princess... she was fearsome, ridiculously beautiful, and very wise.

     - Oh, the poor girl.

     - It was her who wanted the wedding, they are in love. Did you really not listen to anything the last time we spoke to the Elders?

     - WHAT?! 

   The next second, Izuna was sitting - and soaking wet - in their koi pond, said carp safely tucked away in their little hut they'd created for just such a situation. These creatures were very intelligent, they often anticipated Madara's reactions better than Izuna himself.

   Then, still wading in the water, he imagined what it would be like if 'Tobirama Senju' had children. They would probably be just as sullen, arrogant and ugly as he was.

   Fortunately, no one would ever want him, and no one in their right mind would leave him a child to raise.

   Amaterasu-sama would surely make sure that it never happen, for the Demon's child would certainly be monstrous and not belong to humanity.

Chapter 9

   Izuna had calmed down, the indignation was still strong, and most of all he felt both jealous and helpless because of Tobirama fucking Senju - junior - and it was too unpleasant for him to put his bad mood on his brother and his Clan unnecessarily, so he was off to continue to calm down alone. This area of the forest was useless to the Clan anyway, Madara would probably thank him for razing it later.

   He was actually tired, because fucking Senju was a fast bastard and just as resilient as he was creative, a quality shared by this unusual brother duo.

   Invocations, Izuna knew. Summoning things other than animals, he knew too, between the Susano of his Clan, Hashirama's golem and Tobirama's almost living water dragon, Izuna had seen a lot, but a HUMAN, a 'LIVING' human from the fucking FUTURE, he had never seen.

   And on top of that it had to be an older, stronger version of Tobirama. Izuna was already having a hard time against his counterpart, now he was simply screwed.

   He burned trees for a while, not paying much attention to his surroundings: this was the central land of the Uchiha Clan, you'd have to be suicidal to go near it as an enemy.

   He didn't turn around as he felt a presence approaching. The chakra was a fire burning with passion, it wasn't Madara but his brother had probably sent him a clan member who also wanted to get rid of his excess energy. Izuna never said no to a training partner.

   A dark, youthful figure emerged from the trees and the absence of the Uchiha collar caused the Clan Heir to raise an eyebrow. Izuna squinted and scanned the faces of all his Clan members in a split second before immediately forming a fireball to set the impostor who dared to pose as an Uchiha ablaze. It wasn't even close, that face was too round, the same for the shape of the eyes and especially the obnoxiously curly hair.

   The Sharingan that answered him in the other's eyes made him chuckle with amusement, no visual genjutsu could resist the Sharingan, nor could it fool him. Of course, since it was a crappy day for Izuna and midnight hadn't technically passed, 'Izuna' was the one captured in the enemy genjutsu. It didn't make sense but it was better to accept the truth.

     - Well, sweetie, I've got some questions for you, and since no one's looking for you, we'll spend as long as it takes.

     - In your dreams!

     - "Don't worry." The boy smiled. "You won't remember anything."

   And the Mangekyou wiped all thoughts of resistance from his mind.

Chapter 10

   Kagami felt slightly guilty, still, it was an Uchiha he had just trapped with his pupils, his father had always said it was not done to hurt the Clan.

   That feeling had thankfully passed quickly, this guy wouldn't remember it anyway.

   And it was still doubtful that Kagami was an Uchiha, since he considered the Senju his real family besides his grandpa. And said grandpa was adorable, but he still had a fading memory disease, so whatever...

   Anyway, whatever.

   His Uchiha target was ideally far away from the others, so he would have a good time finding out, there was no one else around.

   It was time to start.

   Where to start?

   Oh, yes, a simple thing.

     - Uh... who are you, man?

     - Izuna Uchiha.

   Hmm... never heard of him. Well, maybe vaguely, probably some grumpy old man from the Clan he didn't like much.

     - Okay, who's the Clan Chief today?

     - My brother.

     - Your brother?

     - Yes.

   Kagami hadn't tried Sharingan interrogation yet, and he was beginning to understand that hypnosis would require specific questions. What would his father ask?

     - What is your brother's, the Clan’s Chief, name?

     - Madara Uchiha.

   Madara Uchiha... that weirdo who went berserk a long time ago? The asshole who tried to kill Uncle Hashirama?! So this arrogant jerk was his father's weak pseudo-rival in his teens? The one who was the first to die from Hiraishin, one of his father's most beautiful and incredible techniques. It was almost an honour he didn't deserve.

     - Do you know Tobirama Senju?

     - Of course, everyone knows the White Demon of the Senju.

   Kagami slapped the other guy's face, and he felt immense satisfaction as he watched him back away, looking stunned.

     - "Fucking nickname..." he growled, struggling to even form words in the intensity of his anger. "He's not a demon! He's a good man, a brilliant man, someone you can only dream of getting close to! Don't ever insult him again!"

     - "Okay," Izuna obediently agreed.

     - Let's not talk about it anymore, tell me about Tobirama.

   In the end, Kagami easily got what he wanted and was immediately reassured that his father was there, he hadn't died in the trip or disintegrated in the jump, and Uncle Hashi had fixed him. He really was a great uncle, the best.

   He wanted to get more information about the time, "information is the key to everything", his father used to say, but unfortunately it was apparently not meant to be.

   A dark presence shone near Kagami, near, 'too' near.

 

*

 

   Dozens of miles away, under some blankets, a man with red eyes opened his eyes.

Chapter 11

   Tobirama was weak, so weak, but nothing would make him so weak that he could ignore that his son was in danger. It was almost supernatural how much Tobirama was now able to feel Kagami and his chakra as if he were a part of Tobirama's own body and being. Especially considering he was an adopted child, he would never have considered it but he was glad of it, especially at times like this.

   Madara, Izuna and Kagami, the kind of meeting Tobirama never wanted to see happen.

   He didn't think, because clearly if he did he would wonder how Izuna was still alive and why 'Madara' was still alive as well and as these two were in the presence of HIS son, Kagami was close to a menacing Madara.

   When necessary, reflection can come after action.

   Tobirama transferred his chakra to Kagami's seal and teleported him to his nearest backup seal. He vaguely felt the comfort of being held in his brother's reassuring and loving arms and so did not hesitate to bury his face in the warm clothes that smelled of safety.

   Soothing chakra rushed through him, healing his wounds with a supernatural speed that belonged only to him, and Tobirama simply enjoyed the sensation and the healing. He had missed being pampered by his older brother's overflowing affection.

     - Tobi? Tobirama, can you hear me?

   The Senju tried to speak and open his eyes but he felt weak, so weak, all his energy drained from his recent efforts.

   It didn't matter, anyway, Hashirama was here so everything would be fine, he didn't need to use his body or his brain, everything was fine now.

   Still, he amused himself by giving his brother a little jolt of electricity with a Raiton and chuckled vaguely at the Shinobi God's cry of outrage. He was so banal when he wasn't fighting that it was easy to forget his strength.

     - Tobi! That wasn't funny! Well, it was, but it wasn't!

   Finally, Hashirama laughed and a hand caressed his face with tenderness and love.

     - It's all right, Tobirama, I'm here, I'm watching over you, rest.

   He went back to sleep peacefully, reassured of his own safety and that of his son.

   The rest could wait.

Chapter 12

   Madara considered himself a fairly good chakra-sensing ninja, he wasn't amazing but he didn't suck, so he was competent enough to at least sense Izuna training - read "razing the forest" – through spite of an unfinished duel.

   An unfinished duel because of a pale man with light hair and blood eyes.

   Hashirama's little brother... was something, only a fool could deny it. He was strong, formidable in fact, and very devoted to his Clan, and his family. He had made up for the lack of innate gift with hard work and cunning to compete with the Sharingan and reach his current age, proof that he would probably survive just about anything.

   And the man they had discovered and saved... he was beautiful.

   Time would do this skinny, grumpy guy so much good.

   And what techniques he must have learned... a Uchiha engagement ritual fight would be truly thrilling with someone so strong.

   Madara was snapped out of his worried thoughts about Tobirama Senju Senior - who wasn't objectively hot, no, shut the fuck up, brain - by sensing active, blazing chakra next to his annoying little brother. Izuna had gone to let off steam alone, and that was fine, and the young Uchiha wouldn't be worried if the person who'd joined him wasn't from 'the opposite side of the compound' and if Madara wasn't acutely aware that there were no Clan patrols in this area.

   So, an intruder. An intruder effective enough not to have been spotted by said patrols or by Izuna himself until the direct confrontation.

   Izuna's chakra disappeared almost entirely as soon as it had burst forth in anticipation of a fight and Madara had already passed through his office window, barefoot and half-clothed. He sped across the distance, but the stranger was already gone, vanished.

   His brother was there but motionless, lying on his side. Cautious despite his anxiety, Madara checked for possible traps or genjutsu before approaching his brother. The attacker was gone, but if he had left his victim behind...

   With a shaky breath, Madara placed his hand on Izuna's shoulder, ready to find him.

     - Oh Amaterasu-sama, please, not the eyes, not his eyes...

   He laid his brother down with a brisk movement before forcing himself to look and he breathed a sigh of relief: Izuna still had his eyes, whatever his assailant had wanted to do Madara's arrival had made him run away before he could go through with it.

     - Izuna!

     - "What?"  his brother snorted as he woke up. 'Huh?

     - What happened?

   Izuna froze, looking confused.

     - I...I don't know anymore.

     - Think about it!

     - I'm telling you I don't know!

   It was useless, they returned empty-handed, Izuna had probably been knocked out from behind and hadn't seen anything.

Chapter 13

   Hashirama had no doubt, it was Tobirama, only Tobirama was so stubborn to do more than was necessary - and possible - when he was hurt to stop at the slightest sign of a hug.

   He was cuddling said affectionate little brother into a tight - 'smothering' Tobirama would say, well, 'his' Tobirama - embrace when Touka poked her head through the door of their mother's room which they had left to their unexpected guest.

     - "Is he decently dressed to be seen by a lady?" she asked with a big smile, her eyes closed.

     - "Yes," he replied with a laugh.

     - "You've already seen all there is to see," Tobirama replied in a tight-lipped tone, shoving their cousin. "And you, Anija, stop sticking to him."

     - "He is you," Touka pointed out again.

   She really loved that argument. Hashirama too, it allowed him to cuddle a willing and cuddly Tobirama: the dream!

     - "He needs... warmth?" Hashirama weakly tried.

     - Then get a blanket, Anija.

     - You say Anija in exactly the same way.

     - "You want me to replace my brotherly comfort with a 'blanket'?" the young Senju Clan leader snarled, feeling the potted plants in the room react to his mood.

     - Calm down, Hashirama. Why did I feel a flash of his chakra?

     - "No idea," Hashirama chuckled. "You're always full of surprises."

     - This isn't funny.

     - Well, it is, though, it's funny.

   His 'little' brother sighed and rubbed his eyes.

     - It's daylight now, you have things to do.

   It was indeed dawn and Hashirama hadn't slept, he was exhausted but for his brother, it was worth it.

   The adult albino grunted very vocally and wriggled under his blanket, grabbing the edge of the padded fabric to pull it up to the top of his head, covering himself under the full height of the futon.

     - Hmm... Nija, turn off the fucking sun.

   Touka laughed, and this time Hashirama joined her without worrying about the noise.

     - That's just like you!

   Tobirama walked out quickly, his cheeks pink.

     - Hellooo, Tobi !

Chapter 14

   Tobirama could feel the chakra of his older counterpart spreading through the family home of the main branch of the Senju family again and his whole body tensed. He wasn't going to be able to concentrate like this, so he put down his brush and let his parchment dry to pay the man a "friendly" visit.

   He stopped in front of the door to their mother's room and took a deep breath, this room was important to the family, it was where he and Hashirama mourned their mother and then their brothers, even their father paid his respects in this room from time to time.

   He opened the door and peeked inside, curious as to what strategy the man would employ, but he made no effort to appear sleepy, in fact he was sitting upright and leaning against the wall.

     - Junior, good to see you.

   Tobirama had a strong feeling that nothing could dissuade the man from calling him Junior, so he had to respond appropriately.

     - Senior, it's not shared.

     - I suspected so. You must have questions, I have mine. Is Izuna Uchiha dead?

     - No, you appeared when I wanted to use my space-time jutsu.

     - And my last use of it was very random, probably creating a time fusion. I'm sorry, but either way it's probably for the best, just be satisfied that he's not on your level.

   Tobirama was satisfied with that, but it wasn't enough.

     - Why would it be better?

     - It will make Madara more favourable to our joint plans.

   Tobirama was getting seriously worried:

     - ... What project?

     - "Our village," the man explained, pointing to his hapuri, lifting a huge weight from his shoulders. "We will found a village with the Uchiha and many other clans will join us, the Fire Land will know peace and an end to the ninja clan wars."

   Tobirama didn't know what to make of the fact that apparently they would succeed in securing an era of peace for future generations and that it wasn't an empty dream, but he was... happy? At least everything would be fine, and he was still alive to see it.

   Suddenly, a whisper behind him startled him.

     - What...?

   Hashirama stood in the doorway, his eyes glistening with the same tears that shone in furrows on his cheeks.

     - Our village... is a success?

Chapter 15

   Touka, like absolutely everyone else in the Senju Clan, knew that something good was happening to her first cousin. All around their compound, under the influence of Hashirama's chakra and joy, the trees were in bloom, budding well before their time while the ground was covered with soft green grass and colorful flowers. This was happening and spreading as far as the eye could see, a sign of the intensity of the joy of their Clan's Mokuton user.

   Hashirama had only achieved this unconscious feat the day Mito had agreed to marry him - how Hashirama could doubt it, Touka didn't know, for Mito had literally pushed everyone to get Hashirama to propose, this act of courage was the only unbending requirement of the Uzumaki leader's for a man to deserve his daughter. Poor guy, the flamboyant woman had had to hassle him until he accepted Hashirama as his son-in-law, and that was no small feat, Hashirama didn't exactly command great respect anywhere but on the battlefield.

   Running to the Main Line house - it was the house right next door to her - she jumped straight out the window of the room where everyone was gathered and entered a strange scene. Three cousins, two of them albino, caught in the merciless embrace of a weeping man who was crying over them, a huge smile on his face and a happy laugh. Tobi shivered, slightly uncomfortable but his firm grip on Hashirama's arm showed that he was fine and happy to be where he was and that he wasn't asking to leave. The other Tobi... well, he looked comfortable. Surprisingly, he'd clearly received enough love and physical affection that cuddling came naturally to him, though imagining Tobirama with a wife was strange. Had he ever even looked at women with interest?

   Even Hashirama was interested in women and had asked if he could see female bodies - poor naive boy, he had been slapped by literally every single woman in the Clan, what an idea to ask that.
Perverted men tried to look at women in the bath, and the kunoichi would punch and kick them out... but then again, Hashirama wasn't a pervert, and Touka wished Mito the better, her future cousin by marriage was going to have a lot of work to do with this one.

   But Tobirama...

   In any case, if he had a family, Touka could only be happy and relieved, he deserved a lot of love.

Chapter 16

   Kagami forced himself to breathe calmly. Just before that, he had been crouching, holding onto a tree trunk to keep from stumbling as his stomach told him he was going to spit out everything he'd swallowed in the last few days.

   The Hiraishin without his father as an anchor was horrible, he still couldn't stand it, even though it had saved his life many times.

   He was aware that he had narrowly escaped death, the presence that was approaching him was so threatening and powerful... he would probably be dead, he didn't think he had what it took to face that kind of chakra.

   But now, at least, Kagami was truly reassured about his father. He was well enough to use his Hiraishin from a distance, so he was awake, and Uncle Hashi had fixed him effectively - not that he doubted him, of course, but... well, the first place was already occupied.

   Well... there was still one little problem he didn't know how to fix and couldn't exactly fix in his usual way. Being a big lout wouldn't do him any good here.

   At this time, the Senju hated the Uchiha, so they were all going to try to kill Kagami on sight before he had a chance to explain himself, and the Senju were his family. Future family? Yeah, no, family. And you don't attack family, his dad was very insistent on that, mostly because of his concern that the Sharingan would cause a reflex attack that could hurt him.

   So that meant that Kagami couldn't just search the current Senju compound and enter as if he were at home - which he would actually be, theoretically speaking, because he was the son of the Senju heir, but anyway...

   He would have to take it easy and give his father time to heal and explain things to the Clan, and most importantly convince them, as there would probably be some form of resistance to the idea, the Elders of the time were even worse than those of the Konoha era, stubborn old fools who sent children to their deaths, the kind of nasty bastards Kagami would want to blast with a Katon at the first opportunity, so it was best they didn't meet until the negotiations for his arrival in the Clan were over.

   Suddenly, completely unexpectedly, a powerful blast of chakra caused him to stumble and he fell on his back, exhausted. Using this strange Sharingan had taken more effort than he had anticipated.

   All around him, nature was celebrating, Uncle Hashirama's joy overflowing in the love that emanated from the plants themselves.

   Good!

   Uncle Hashirama could convince anyone to do anything, everything would be fine, he would bore his opponents to sleep and then Kagami would go home to his family.

   It was about time!

Chapter 17

     - Izuna, get up! Hurry up! We can't be late!

   Izuna grunted under his covers and tucked his head a little deeper into his futon, he didn't want to go out, he didn't want to live once again the trauma of seeing two Tobirama worsened by the fact that old Tobirama would probably be awake this time.

   What a shitty situation.

     - "I don't want to go!" He grumbled. 

     - You don't have a choice.

     - Go find your tree-loving friend and leave me alone.

   With an indignant cry of distress, Izuna was torn from his mattress and thrown out the window. One day he would burn that koi pond, he promised himself as he entered his house completely soaked and cold.

   Madara was already eating and serving tea to their aunt and Hikaku... when had they arrived?

     - "Oh, Izu, my dear, go quickly get dressed my sweet crow, you'll catch a cold!" exclaimed the old woman who had had her only child at an advanced age after thinking she was sterile.

   Izuna could be ornery, stubborn and difficult, but he could not resist love, and his aunt was a loving person who did not hesitate to show it.

     - Well, I'm coming.

   The meal was quiet and particularly relaxed, the two brothers both enjoyed seeing their father's sister, she usually looked after the Clan's finances but she never hesitated to give them welcome emotional support.

     - "Good," she said, staring intently at the three of them when they had finished their meal. "Remember, a peaceful meeting must remain peaceful, for the honour of the Clan. Be polite as you have been brought up to be, but do not allow yourselves to be disrespected. If there is to be violence, it will not start with you."

   They nodded politely before getting ready and heading to the meeting place.

   Senju Tobirama was there, standing and looking well apart from the fact that he was dressed as a civilian, though the hapuri with the unknown symbol was still there. Izuna couldn't see any weapons other than the weapon pouch on his belt.

     - "Alright, Madara," the albino began directly 'and rudely'. "It's time to stop fooling around and sign the peace. Konoha will exist and you will be its founder, so save us all some time and accept your own youthful dream. A village where the future generations of our Clans will be peaceful and safe."

     - "What-", began his brother.

     - "I'm from the future," the stern-looking man reminded unnecessarily. "There's no point in fighting yourself and risking lives unnecessarily, unless you want me to kill your brother the next time we meet so my point is more understandable?"

   Izuna really wanted to kill the arrogant bastard. He really did.

Chapter 18

   Tobirama had regaled his brother with tales of Konoha while subtly slipping in details of what could have been done better from the start and his immediate family had looked at him with a hope that warmed his heart. Now only his son was missing, and after announcing that he had traveled with him, Tobirama couldn't get another word in as he was caught up in a hug and shouts of happiness. Since then, whenever he mentioned Kagami, he couldn't get a word in because of his older brother's exuberance, so he had stopped trying with a mental shrug. Hashirama would be understanding and Tobirama could still defend his son with his own hands, so everything was fine. He would just have to wait and see.

   The meeting was in a large clearing by the river, and the Uchiha had eyes only for Tobirama. Too bad the only Uchiha Tobirama really wanted to see was not among them.

   The most surprising and disturbing part for them seemed to be that he met their gazes without fear, which they could not understand, they didn't know that he had been training with Kagami to get out of the influence of the Sharingan for several years already until he was almost completely insensible to the Uchiha's pupils. Well, he would see about his son's new Sharingan, of course, they would have more experiments to do, especially to make sure it didn't damage his eyes to use it.

   Tobirama couldn't stand it if his son went blind, he would do anything to prevent that from happening. For a man who could literally travel through time or dimensions, clone himself a thousand times or resurrect the dead, it wasn't even a challenge, but he would put his heart into it nonetheless.
His little explanatory threat wasn't planned, but it had the merit of being clear and explicit, a reminder that he was stronger than Izuna, and perhaps Madara himself considering his current age.

   Izuna, with an immature look that Tobirama couldn't remember but seemed to match the severe emotional immaturity of his younger version, began to insult and threaten him with some very uncreative threats when suddenly a thin, dark figure popped up in the middle of the Uchiha group to knock him out cleanly.

     - I forbid you to insult my father, you moron!

     - Son, welcome.

Chapter 19

   Hashirama was ecstatic and opened his arms wide, shouting in disbelief and joy:

     - I have a nephew! So tall and handsome!

   The young man turned towards him with an air of affectionate gratitude and rushed into his arms without hesitation, proving that he felt no threat in running towards him and that he trusted him... what emotion!

     - Uncle Hashi!

   Uncle Hashi... he even had a nickname! And his nephew was so affectionate! So kind and adorable! No wonder Tobirama became softer and cuddlier, with such a child!

   Kagami hugged him tightly and Hashirama was so proud to see the mark of Konoha on his shinobi headband.

     - Aunt Touka! I missed you!

     - I wish I could say the same, kid, but you don't exist for us yet.

     - "Detail," the youngster replied dismissively. "You'll love me!"

     - "But I forgot to ask, who is your mother?" Hashirama asked, wondering which woman of the Clan he would have to thank for giving birth to such a wonder.

     - "Oh... Mom died when I was born by committing suicide because my father is unknown and is not an Uchiha," the youngster clarified as he approached Tobirama. "Dad adopted me! And I adopted him back of course!"

   His big little brother put an arm around his son's shoulders and hugged him with a sincere and relieved smile that effectively distracted him for a few seconds from Kagami's blood red eyes.

     - "An Uchiha!" someone behind him exclaimed loudly.

     - "A problem with my son?" the adult Senju heir asked coldly, annoyed at the emotional interruption.

   The deadly red gaze coupled with a threatening red and black glare and coordinated threatening airs were enough to silence all naysayers, Hashirama would have a serious conversation with the Clan anyway, after all he couldn't decently let anyone be rude or malicious to his nephew!

     - Oh my ancestors, that is so sweet!

     - "Like father like son," laughed Touka.

     - "And it's a point of pride," said Tobirama as Tobi looked on in incomprehension.

     - Is this your son? For real?

     - Well, in a way, since you are me, he is yours too.

   Tobi forced himself very clearly to meet Kagami's Sharingan with his eyes and hold back an anxious grimace.

     - Oh, dad... you were quite good looking at that age! Why weren't you coupled up and married?

     - I told you, son, Senju don't grow up thinking it's acceptable for two men to get married, I wasn't confident enough at the time to assert myself, and thus have a mate. Nobody would have left me a child either.

     - Oh, don't worry, you know... I like being an only child, I have all your attention for me! 

     - I love you too, kid.

Chapter 20

   Madara would faint if he could, but he couldn't. His body refused to do anything but breathe and stand.
The White Demon of the Senju loved men. Tobirama Senju Senior was a single man raising his child alone because he loved men and didn't love women.

   Wait a second... Hey! Damn brain, damn eyes that could only admire perfection! He was an enemy! A powerful and dangerous enemy who... who had a Uchiha child in his arms and had apparently raised and loved him. Adopted and cherished, trained and defended...

   How could he believe and continue to say that the Senju and the Uchiha could not get along when Senju Tobirama was looking a swirling Sharingan right in the eyes without any fear or unease? When he looked at it... with love.

   And the kid, "Kagami", whose mother had killed herself out of shame... didn't they have a very young orphan in the Clan that matched that story? Madara didn't know what had led to this strange adoption, but he would never entrust an Uchiha to someone he didn't trust, so... so this village story was becoming more believable by the second.

   Over the years, they had bonded enough that they had met and then decided to become family to the point where he felt as completely Senju as Uchiha.

   He felt an impulse of anger that he couldn't pinpoint the exact origin of, but his heart raced at the tender sight before him. He could have this, he could be a part of this, there was a place for him, if he accepted the extended hand.

   Madara knew that Izuna was indignant and offended beside him, but now was not the time to be distracted by his proud and vengeful little brother.

   It was time to stop this, to take a step towards the future of peace and prosperity that was shining right before his eyes.

   Hashirama smiled at him, and for once, Madara responded with a small smile and a shy nod.

   Tobirama Senior nodded politely and met his eyes, and Madara felt transfixed by his smile.

   He had made the right choice.

Chapter 21

Summary:

The number of my works in progress has just gone from 40 to 39... what an emotion ^^

I hope you like the end of this story (which, I remind you, was a one-shot XD), I have so many one-shots that become real stories because you guys are so nice with your comments thanks again to all <3

   Tobirama frowned at the very hesitant and shy atmosphere of the two Clans at the small party Hashirama and Hikaku Uchiha were throwing. These two seemed to be getting along well. Perhaps a little too well. He passed between the Senju and punched his counterpart on the head, who was looking at Izuna with an anger only matched by his lifelong rival, who quickly looked away when Tobirama signaled he was watching them closely.

   He wasn't going to let prideful teenagers slow down the peace. Or hot-tempered morons, he reminded himself as Madara approached him, still within earshot of the guests.

     - Hmm... Hello, Senju.

     - You can call me Tobirama, Uchiha. We are many Senju.

     - Then call me Madara, I insist.

   Tobirama nodded absentmindedly and thanked his deities for bringing him to an era - or universe? Dimension? What was the right word for that? To meditate. - Where Madara wasn't mad with hate and still had the brat for an annoying little brother.

   Everything would be easier that way.

     - How would you like to go raze the forest on the eastern grounds where we're going to create the municipal buildings?

   Kagami choked on his water and looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes before laughing into Touka's shoulder hysterically. Clearly he had gotten the gist of the message across, for soon she joined him in his giggles.

   Tobirama was perplexed.

   Was... was Madara courting him? Tobirama knew that the Uchiha didn't do things the same way as everyone else, destroying things together was an opportunity to prove one's strength, stamina, array of techniques, and to spend quality time together. It was 'romantic', in fact Kagami had proposed the week before to an Uchiha girl to go destroy a piece of Senju forest with him, so it was a real tradition in the clan.

   All arsonists. All crazy.

   Madara being the most arsonist and the craziest of them all, not to mention the fact that his Clan didn't seem to know about his attraction to Tobirama.

   Hmm...

     - I accept. In return, agree to go hunting with me.

   Hunting was another court tradition that the Senju practiced this time, and one that Madara understood anyway as his face lit up with a rare smile as he blushed in seconds.

   One day Tobirama would tell his chronicles.

   It would be chaotic.

Notes:

This was in my head so I wrote it, I don't know if I'm going to continue this but if you ever like it, feel free to comment 😉

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 4 of ... Eccentrics time travelers with strategies as diverse as they were original