Chapter Text
In hindsight, Tobirama should have known being the designated medic of the team was going to give him headaches. The other three were a magnet for trouble and he damn well knew it.
Staring at the feverish Kakashi did nothing to soothe this savage revelation and Tobirama had to rub his temples, chakra exhaustion was an ugly thing. A very unsightly fate, if he were to be honest, one he wouldn’t wish on his sensei.
Finding a way to help (for he remembered this happening more than once) moved up in his list of priorities and he sighed, reaching to move the sticky silver hair from his sensei’s face. He was truly pretty, even with the mask obscuring half of his face.
“Did you know that Nidaime's mother was a Hakate?” The question may be out of the blue, but Tobirama had little love for sweet-talk.
Kakashi made a noise, having heard the question but too out of it to do anything but be upset about being in pain. Tobirama pressed a glowing hand against his forehead, it wouldn’t help much. His abilities were nowhere good enough to treat the exhaustion, so he hadn’t even tried. As failing could burn the chakra network, crippling the patient. And that was a fate worse than death in the eyes of a shinobi, better let it pass as it normally would.
“Yeah,” Tobirama continued, “ Of course, he was never allowed to be one. Butsuma already despised him, looking like a pale Uchiha ghost and all that. So his mother always encouraged him to be a Senju. The perfect Senju. And he was, because he loved his dad, his mom, his clan. But first and foremost, he loved his brothers. And for them, he made himself a sword. Unfeeling weapon, lonely wolf. And what a sad thing, isn’t it? A lonely Hatake.”
Kakashi whined, low and painful.
Tobirama nodded solemnly, concealing his inner little dance at hitting the jackpot.
“I know. But he made do, create a pack for himself and his brothers. All four of them.” It was good to know that some headcanons were close to reality. “Except, he slowly lost them, one by one, taken from him by the war. All except one: Hashirama.” Tobirama pauses, taking a deep breath. “He loved Hashirama more than anything.” This was said with conviction, anyone who had seen the brothers interact could tell. “More than life itself. And yet, that didn’t change the fact that he was a lonely man. So his brother said: ‘Think of the village as you pack. We are one big family, one big pack.’ And it worked, at least for a little while. The Nidaime put the village above himself and died a hero, giving his life to protect his people…”
Tobirama gave a bitter laugh, “Or so the history says. Personally, I think he gave his life for his students. His kittens. Sons and daughters in everything but blood. Yes, his team became his pack. And sensei?” Tobirama smiled warmly, “I think yours should be the same. We are yours now and in return are ours. You’re pack .”
Aw, tears.
It was kind of cute, if Tobirama was honest to himself. Shaking his head, he sobered up and whipped them as gently as he could.
“You need to take better care of yourself, alright? We can’t go without you.” Tobirama pressed a pill against his mouth. “Now, you must rest. I can’t do anything but relieve the pain a little but this should knock you out for a day and let you heal faster. Don’t worry, though. I will take care of the other two for you.”
Kakashi hesitantly opened his mouth and swallowed. Tobirama huffed a laugh and rolled his eyes fondly, shinobi were so paranoiac. Huh. Now his sensei was out, it was easier for him to feel Kakashi’s buzzling inside his mind. Unlike Zabuza, Kakashi chakra was neat, sharp and focused. Like a… well, like lighting.
It reflected his nature. Maybe Zabuza’s did too: A river, to represent water.
How curious.
Well, now that is done. Better back to where the troublesome duo were, Tobirama was genuinely worried about Naruto after the reaction Tazuna’s daughter had when she saw me. Luckily, Sasuke had noticed as well and he had pushed for distance between our team and the builder’s family.
Which was good, because Inari’s sob story would not be well received. The boy attitude, less so. Really, the boy couldn’t have a worse match on Team Seven even if he tried. All of them had lost something, all of them had been on the mud. The difference was that Team Seven had got up and worked hard to ensure a better future. To achieve their dream.
Inari, on the other hand, whined and cried.
That he was a child didn’t excuse it; Sasuke had been eight when his world shattered. Kakashi five. Naruto had spent all his life being hated.
In Tobirama’s not-so-humble opinion, the kid was a crybaby. He was weak. And yeah, maybe Naruto could help and shake some sense on him. But that was the Naruto of before, the Naruto of now was more prone to kick his ass than to motivate him. After all, Tobirama had happily instructed the blond in the twisted mentality he had; the one that divided the world on ‘Us’ and ‘Them’.
There wasn’t any reason why outsiders should be treated kindly if they weren’t kind first.
Walking out the room he found Sasuke sitting in the main hall, sipping tea from a cup.
“How’s Kakashi?”
“He’s fine.” Tobirama said, “Sleeping better now that I convinced him to take a knock-out pill but I will return to see him in a few hours. Where’s Naru?”
“Outside.” Sasuke deadpanned, “That dobe has no sense of manners.”
“Hey.”
“Oh, I don’t blame him. I’m blaming you.”
Auch. “...fair.”
Sasuke snorted.
“Does that happen often?” He asked, his expression turning more serious. One could even say he looked concerned.
“What does?” Tobirama had an idea but…
“Civilians calling you devil.”
“Ah.” Tobirama sighed, “Sometimes. I don’t mind, though. I look the way I do and there’s nothing wrong with it.” He goes for a shrug, really some people have no taste. “Also, I’m aware the red eyes are disconcerting.”
Sasuke scowls, saying in his most petulant voice: “I think red eyes are pretty.”
Tobirama rolls his eyes, amused. “Of course you do, Uchiha-san.”
“What do you mean?”
“The sharingan is red, isn’t it?” The answer comes quickly, if a bit distractedly as Tobirama walks towards the exit with the obvious intention of looking for Naruto. “I remember your clan's obsession with reds and fire.”
“You... remember?”
Tomiraba makes a show of freezing, inwardly stretching a victorious smile. Gotcha. Tobirama had played with the idea of bringing both of his teammates into the known, just deciding that with Kakashi out this was the perfect moment.
“I…”
“Tobirama.”
“There’s indeed something I need to tell you. Both of you.” Tobirama admitted, the words sounding like there was nothing he wanted more to never let them out of his lips.
Sasuke was appropriately suspicious, and yet… “Let’s find Naruto.”
His curiosity won.
“Alright.” Tobirama agreed, his features twisting into something mullish.
Sasuke’s eyes were hard as he brushed against the albino, taking the lead as they exited the house. Tazuna and his daughter were nowhere in sight; not a surprise after what happened. They find the blond blowing some steam by sparring with a clone of his, not far from the entrance as he acted as a guard.
“Naru!” Tobirama calls. Causing the jinjuriki to turn, his expression changing from anger to delight. Naruto ran and tackled-hugged his self proclaimed older brother, “Nii-san! How’s Kakashi-sensei?”
“He is in need of rest but should be fine in a week or so.”
“That’s good news,” Naruto says happily, “I was really worried when he fainted but… is that fine? I mean, we still haven’t finished the mission.”
“It should be fine.” Tobirama says, “Ah, that’s also a part of what I want to talk to you two but before that, you wanted to know what the sharingan is, didn’t you?”
“...I do.”
“Well, it's a long explanation. We should sit.”
Sasuke huffs, making Naruto send him a confused look.
“Let me start with how this isn’t the way I had envisioned telling you,” Tobirama starts once they’re all sat on the grass. “But Uchiha-san here made me slip.”
Here, he let his fake-irritation be obvious, glaring a little to the black-haired male. Sasuke tried to repress the smirk and failed miserably, even with how serious the situation was, down deep he was an asshole that enjoyed pushing his teammates. But quickly shook his head and returned the glare, much to poor Naruto’s confusion.
“Now, I will explain but I need you to not interrupt me until I’m over, understood?”
Sasuke nods after hesitating a moment.
Tobirama nods back and takes a deep breath, ‘Let’s start with the easiest part and go from there.’
A very long, very detailed explanation about the unique dojutsu of the Uchiha clan leaves Tobirama’s lips. His tone is calm but anyone can see the fire in his crimson eyes, this is a subject that fascinates him and that is evident for anyone with eyes.
“H-How do you know all that?” Sasuke is in shock.
Everything Tobirama said was true, or at least the parts he knew. Because apparently, there was much more in his family’s doujutsu that he was aware of. Things like using the Mangekyo too much lead to blindness and how that blindness could be cured by taking the eyes of other users as your own.
A sick feeling curls inside his stomach. Was that the reason why Itachi let him live? It rang true even as Sasuke tried and failed to comprehend how Tobirama knew all that, because that man had tried to tell Sasuke that he needed to have the same eyes as him the next time they met.
Tobirama hesitates, then his expression closes up and stares right into Sasuke’s eyes. “I studied it for a while. Ha, you could even consider it an obsession for how I spend decades of my life on it.”
“Decades?” Naruto asks, confused. “What do you mean, nii-san?”
“I meant what I said: I studied the sharingan for nearly three decades.” Tobirama’s lips twist into a grimace, “How could I not when they were the reason why so many of my clams were murdered? How could I not when it represented exactly how dangerous the Uchiha were?”
“Enough.” Sasuke snarled, fear and dismay making him lash out in anger. “You’re taking this too far, Sakura.”
Tobirama snarled back, “I’m not her!”
The pure rage in his eyes made Sasuke hesitate, unused to the albino being anything but patient and polite towards him, the change threw him off. The anger that had invaded him faded as quickly as it came.
‘How easy it is to manipulate a child,’ Tobirama thought, feeling giddy as his plan continued without a notch. Really, that the academy didn’t teach them mind-warfare was hilarious. Especially when the reason was because few shinobi did this kind of thing when they could rely on genjutsu and torure.
Simple and pure manipulation wasn’t even in the radar, making this way more easy than it should be when all of them were shinobi.
“I’m not Sakura.” Tobirama reaped, his tone not leaving space for questions. “My name is Tobirama Senju. And what you may think is an obsession is just me trying to regain a bit of myself…” A bitter chuckle made it out. “Is my trying to not get lost in a body that’s wrong. In a body that’s weak. In a village that has long stopped being my home. In a reality where my clan is gone.”
Tobirama makes sure his voice cracks on the last word; Sasuke flinches violently, eyes going big and complexion turning pale.
“How...” How is that even possible?
Naruto is silent; there’s no anger or disgust. Just vague confusion. And behind that: Trust and acceptance as he holds Tobirama’s hand. Silently confirming what the albino knew, he had nothing to fear on that flank. Naruto would be by his side no matter what.
“It started with your clan, actually.” Tobirama let out an humorless laugh, “They all arrived to the pure lands together. It created a commotion, me and Kagami… We went to see what it was about, as that kind of thing was just asking for me to be interested. It was a good thing we did, though. This time, at least. I… Your clan was under the impression I hated them. They refused to talk when I asked what had happened, all except one. Shisui. He was Kagami’s blood so I’m not surprised.”
Tobirama made sure that everytime he said Kagami’s name, his tone was fond and loving. After all, Kagami was said to be Nidaime’s favorite student. It was only suitable that the man couldn’t help but to have a special spot for the Uchiha.
“He… said some things.” Tobirama paused, “Things that were just wrong. I knew I had to do something. I — It started with your clan but ended with Naruto.” He turned his gaze back to his little brother, “You’re family. Uzumaki’s and Senju’s were tied by blood in Anija’s line. But beyong that, we were bound by honour.” His voice takes a deeper undertone, almost like a growl. “Konoha didn’t help Uzushio. The land of your clan is destroyed and the village that should have been your home treats you like a bad omen.”
“I couldn’t stand that.” Tobirma returns his eyes back at Sasuke, smirking sardonically. “So I plotted.”
His already pale demeanor paled even more, gulping hard he asked: “What did you do?”
His black eyes were full of fear; Tobirama had to wonder just what kind of stories the Uchiha had about the Nidaime and how his act entered into that, because he had no doubt that Sasuke believed he was telling the truth.
“I had raised the dead once, I was sure that with some time I could find a way to go back.” Tobirama said calmly, answering the question. Sasuke choked on his spit; Naruto’s eyes grew bigger as he gasped. Tobirama ignored these reactions as he continued.
“Homura, the sage’s brother, didn’t like that… we made a deal after four years of me pestering the afterlife: He would send me back, gift me a body of someone who had recently died -so I could interfere with the world of the living- and I would stop with the, ehem, experiments. I would also not raise any dead men. Ever again. Not that I would, I leveled that jutsu as forbidden for a reason— ”
“Nii-san!” Naruto interrupted the rant with a big smile on his face. So big that Tobirama was sure that it must hurt his face. “I knew you were amazing but you’re the best of the best!”
If his loyalty wasn’t cemented before, now it was.
Nor only Tobirama treated him as family, in Naruto’s mind he had also fought the shinigami so he could come and save him.
Tobirama huffed a laugh, “Thank you, outoto.”
“So Sakura died?” Sasuke looked disturbed. “How can you be so nonchalant about it?”
“I’m a necromancer. I’m not afraid of corpses.” Tobirama said obtusibly, pretending to miss the point entirely and Sasuke flinched at the reminder that I, in fact, had raised the dead in the past. It was pretty fun, Tobirama loved messing with people like this.
“I had an entire plan about what to do if it started discomposing too, but it proved unnecessary as the body is fine. I even gained some of her memories, which let me tell you, is awkward as hell because she wanted to kiss you and…”
“And?” Naruto pushed, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Tobirama scrunched his nose in distaste, and Naruto burst in laughter. Laughing so hard, he fell backwards much to Sasuke’s offence.
“Hey!” Sasuke squaked.
“It’s not you.” Tobirama coughed, embarrassed. Cursing his pale complexion as he was aware that his entire face looked like a tomato when he blushed. It wasn’t cute at all. “Uchiha-san is a person I don’t mind being around but… ah, you look too much like Izuna. The idea of kissing you makes me think of kissing him and I would rather kiss Touka than to do that. So the memories were awful, thank you very much.”
Tobirama ended his rant looking thoroughly disgusted. ‘Ew, incest.’
“Who’s Izuna?”
‘Now, that’s morbid curiosity Sasuke. Tsk, tsk. Bad turtleduck.’ Tobirama was secretly amused, he answered the question with soft resignation. “Madara’s little brother. You… you’re almost a carbon copy. Except he didn’t scowl that much.”
“I don’t scowl that much.” Said Sasuke, while scowling.
“You do, teme!” Naruto pointed happily.
“Shut up, dobe!”
Tobirama rolled his eyes with fond exasperation, ‘So this was what Madara and Hashirama could have if things had gone better. Ah, such a pity it ended like that’ The banter was amusing, though. Unlike in cannon, they were both smiling and it was obviously friendly.
“Ehem.”
Both boys flushed at being reminded of his presence; Sasuke looked away, while Naruto sent Tobirama a sheepish smile. “Sorry, nii-san.”
“I don’t mind. But there’s still things we have to discuss and I’m sure you have some questions, don’t you?”
Sasuke’s expression turns grimm, darkness curled inside his black eyes. “If you’re the Nidaime then you must be strong.”
“Not really.” Tobirama admits with a grimace, “I have knowledge but my body is weak. It was part of the deal me and Homura made. You see, he didn’t like me before and he likes me even less now. He didn’t want me to succeed. And I hadl waiting to wake up a civilian. I’m glad I’m not, though. This makes things easier but you must understand; your opinion of me before I wan’t wrong. I am weaker than you two.”
“You’re not weak, nii-san!” Naruto said, offended on Tobirama’s behalf.
If Tobirama disagreed with this declaration, he didn’t show it. Instead he focused on Sasuke, “I could help you get stronger, though. That’s what you want, right Uchiha-san?”
“I want to kill the man that destroyed my clan.” Sasuke nodded. “As a Senju, you must understand why.”
In fact, Tobirama may be the only one who could understand him. Because Sasuke knew, the Senju were gone. Only one survivor that held the blood, an old woman. A legend. Someone that had left the village, betraying her clan even if it wasn’t in the same way Itachi betrayed theirs.
“Yes, I do.” Tobirama’s tone was glacial, “I also understand why you think you must do it by yourself, Uchiha-san. I’m telling you that you don’t.”
Sasuke opened his mouth, anger rising, only to be silenced by a gesture of Tobirama’s hand.
“As Head of the Senju, I understand the need to take everything on your shoulders but we are a team now. A pack. I will help you to take Itachi down, so will Naruto. I can make us strong enough that hunting him will be easy.”
“You can’t promise that.” Sasuke hisses, poison covering his words.
“I can.” Tobirama is dead serious, not even a shadow of doubt in his expression. “Because I have killed many of your blood. I know how to fight with an Uchiha, even one with the Mangekyo. Let me help you.”
“...Itachi is strong.” Sasule’s voice is small, he’s afraid of the hope Tobirama dangles in front of him.
“So was Izuna.” Tobirama says quietly, something like remorse tainting his words. “He still died by my hand.” He closes his eyes for a moment, “Madara, on the other hand, was a different kind of monster. He was so strong only Anija could touch him. If Itachi was Madara, I would hesitate in extending my help. But Itachi is not Madara. Your generation is weaker than mine, this is a fact. I can help you to kill Itachi.”
“...Alright.” Sasuke’s voice is shaking, “Together.”
“Together.” Tobirama and Naruto echoed; Naruto had no doubt in his heart. If Tobirama wanted this, then he wanted it too. Helping Sasuke was a plus, one he liked. But not the real reason. No, the real reason was that Naruto would do whatever Tobirama wanted and they both were well aware of that.
That kind of devotion was trillying; Konoha was so lucky Tobirama had decided to play Nidaime’s past as his or this could have gone entirely different.
“Now, we should probably discuss Zabuza.” Tobirama said, trying to shake the desire of doing something stupid. Like burning Konoha or going rampage with the jinjuriki that so clearly loved him.
“What about Zabuza, nii-san? Isn’t he dead?”
“Not really.”
“The senbon!” Sasuke says in realization.
Tobirama nods, showing his approval. “Exactly. Also, ANBU usually work the body in the place it touches the ground. The boy is well trained, no doubt about it but he’s not Black Corps material. Jonnin at most, I would say.”
“Kakashi-sensei said he had no pulse.” Naruto frowns.
“There are muscles on the neck that can put a person in a dead-like state. Zabuza’s heart stopped, I’m sure of it. So the recuperation time should be… close to a week. Same as Kakashi-sensei.” Tobirama explains, “I predict that our r sensei will want to take Zabuza so our job is to take on the boy.”
“How?”
“You both need to get a better control of your chakra. I will teach you how to mold it better so you can advance quicker.” Tobirama said seriously, “This is something we used to learn not much after hitting five years old. Walking on water by putting chakra on your feet, maintaining a balanced flow and form. You have four days to master it. Understood?”
“Yes!”
“Good.”
Tobirama stood up.
“We start tomorrow. Today, though, I want you to see what kind of edibles are near here. Tazuna shouldn't have to feed us and this is also an important part of being a shinobi, you should be able to survive alone in enemy territory and that includes feeding yourself.”
Sasuke has a thoughtful frown while Naruto is nodding and smiling, “We totally can do that, nii-san!”
“I know you can.” Tobirama messed up the blond locks fondly, he had pushed him to learn a little about herbology so he was kind of confident Naruto wouldn’t eat something poisonous by mistake. “I will stay here and keep an eye on the client and sensei.”
“Alright.” Sasuke also stood up, “See you when we have the food.”
Tobirama waved as they entered the forest, smiling to himself. Quite satisfied with how things had progressed. ‘Life is good.’