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Chapter Text

 Touka marvelled in utter wonder at the sight of Hashirama’s near theatrical- and loud, sulking.

“Absolutely not, ” Hashirama vigorously shook his head. His voice wrenched out another shout just shy of noisily whining, “I refuse- No!”

 The brunette muttered refusals as he melted into a puddle, heaps of blue Passion Flower vines and Sowbread growing around him in a mockery of a cocooning nest. The vines sprawled very slowly outwards from Hashirama’s human puddle in what seemed to be mimicking a collapse of despair in slow motion.

 “Cousin, help make Tobi see sense! He isn’t allowed to!”

 Touka glanced at Tobirama who was re-reading the scroll addressed to him. An Uzushio courier came by the Senju Compound on behalf of the Uzumaki Clan Scholars.

 “And why should I do that, Hashirama?” Touka asked, grinning as she tilted her head.

 “He- Tobi- He- he just can’t!”

 “And why not? Use your words, Cousin, I cannot understand you.”

 “Tobi can’t go!”

 Looking at the sprawling vines now rapidly aiming towards Tobirama, Touka lurched forward, taking the vines in hand and yanking as hard as she could. Jerking Hashirama from the ground, which caused the brunette to bounce slightly, she quickly wrapped her older cousin in his own vines. Some of the blue passion flowers smacked the mokuton user in the mouth,

“Ack-“

Tobirama looked up, tilting his head away from his bound brother. Most of his face was hidden by the scroll in his hands but Touka could see how his eye glinted.

“It would be beneficial to tie our sister clan to us… permanently.”

Touka flinched at the sudden yell that erupted from Hashirama. 

The brunette broke through the blue flower vines with a ferocious fervor as he lunged at his younger brother. Tobirama dodged left, ducking under Hashirama’s wide open arms before balletically dancing to stand steps next to Touka. From his new position near Touka, Tobirama used a rope’s length of water to bonk the Mokuton user upside the head. The now wet Hashirama sulked back into a puddle, surrounded in a formation of black dahlias. 

Tobirama and Touka looked at each other before shaking their heads

“Truly, Anija…”

┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬

Butsuma scanned over the Uzumaki’s request as he drank his tea. 

Despite the Uzumaki’s tendency to be less than formal with allies, the invocation was courtly stated and concise. It was rare for the clan to send out any kind of formal paperwork, choosing instead to talk anything over. Ironic, considering the amount of parchment they used.

“Essentially, the Uzumaki Clan wishes for me to become a permanent ambassador between clans.” 

Butsuma swallowed his tea as he nodded to show that he was following along and to continue.

“Anija, however… wishes otherwise.”

Stifling a snort, Butsuma looked up. The clan head could imagine that. Hashirama was rather clingy when it came to family and judging by the look on his son’s face, Tobirama agreed with his thoughts.

The clan head played with the idea of letting the second oldest stay in Uzushio. Tobirama did not seem to care whether he stayed or went. And it would benefit the Senju, keeping the Uzumaki close with yet another tie to them. It helps that the Scholars' of the Uzumaki Clan genuinely cared for Tobirama and his independence.

On the other hand, Uzushio worded the request in such a way that there would be no backlash from refusing to. The Uzumaki scholars' seemed to have respected his son more than enough to also respect his wishes.

But… Butsuma privately conceded, Hashirama could be unbearable when he was sad. 

Being the clan heir, he needed all the support he could afford. And when Hashirama became clan head, there needed to be another clan heir just in case. 

Butsuma glanced back at his son who tilted his head towards him with a wistful huff. Tobirama was content to go wherever, staying in the Senju compound or moving closer to the Uzumaki Clan, Butsuma saw that his fair-haired son was content with either or. Tobirama thinned his lips into a wry smile. Huffing louder than usual as he gently shook his head. That sealed the clan head's decision.

Better Hashirama than the unsuspecting Uzumaki clan. He knew how to handle his little brother. 

Probably.

Hopefully.

In all honesty, it was for Hashirama’s sake and peace of mind.

“I will have to refuse accepting this request.”

“Understood, thank you for informing me of your decision, Father.”

Butsuma nodded, somewhat reassured seeing his son not taking offense towards his decision. Sipping on his tea once more.

“Although…” Tobirama's cherry eyes took on a more sadistic and wild look with a smile that calmly edged on feral as he continued, “I would like to… delay in telling Hashirama. He has been rather…”

Butsuma nervously swallowed as he turned back to Tobirama. Oh dear, has Hashirama finally annoyed Tobirama with his wailing refusals?

Well, better Hashirama than him. Better Hashirama than the Uzumaki.

The Mokuton User healed faster- he could bear the brunt of Tobirama’s… more playful moods.

Probably.

Hopefully.

“This, I will grant so long as you promise to eventually inform Hashirama.”

“I promise to inform him within the year.”

┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬

 Within a week, Hashirama managed to wrangle the other Senju children to aid in his protesting. Using the affectionately dubbed Child Spy-Network, shortened to CSN to loudly harass the Senju Clan Elders and Butsuma.

 Though, most of the tiny protestors and their protests were swiftly distracted by Tobirama with the clever use of sweet bribes and mostly harmless manipulation.

 Hashirama was mercilessly silenced with prejudice and wrathful torture via sibling.

Chapter Text

Tobirama was under orders to take a rest. 

 Tobirama had not slept in several days and Butsuma had ordered him to take a nap.

 His Father had even threatened to create a protocol should he continue to ‘need’ to be on ordered rest.

Hashirama had been particularly irritating, lately, and no- Tobirama took a deep breath, closing his eyes to re-center himself. The pale-haired boy had been in an irritable mood lately, it was not Hashirama’s fault that someone even breathing too loudly in the general vicinity was setting him off.

Maybe that was why Tobirama was once again requesting to cut off a limb from Hashirama to see if he had nutrient rings like a tree holding the Wood Release ability and all. 

Butsuma had, of course, once again rejected the idea. Taking the scroll and storing it in a bin of other classified scrolls designated to be burned later. The joke was on Father though, Tobirama kept copies of every scroll he created. That scroll in particular, Tobirama pettily thought, had several copies.

Walking back to his room, Hashirama awkwardly in tow, moving in nice and quiet silence.

“... So, what are you thinking about?” 

Previously, how soothing the quiet was. 

Currently, rage induced murder due to a raging headache. But that was generally not a sociable answer.

So instead, Tobirama answered, “Bloodline Limits and chakra transfer.”

His older brother perked up at an answer, trying to keep Tobirama engaged in conversation and filling the silence with noise.

“Ohhh?”

“Bloodline Limits are abilities that can be genetically transferred. Chakra is in everything and the difference in bloodlines is how it is accessed.”

“What about it?”

Seeing that Tobirama did not throw Hashirama off with ‘boring’ and advanced knowledge and information, he changed tactics. A jab straight to the jugular would work. He had to hit quick and mean.

“How would the body absorb the chakra if someone were to eat a doujutsu user’s eyeballs?”

Tobirama probably should not have said that. 

Oh well, he was too overstimulated and tired to care about his words nor his actions as of right now. The reaction was immediate, Hashirama choking on air and silently spluttering with a vicious choke. Ahh, the quiet. How nice it was. 

Tobirama should write up a request scroll regarding this to voice his unhappiness when his older brother was clan head.

Eventually, Hashirama came to himself and whispered quietly, “What in the-”

“Given the fact that Mokuton has the ability to convert energies more efficiently, you would have a higher chance to gain their red eyes. Well, if you were to eat one of the Uchiha's eyes.”

How nice it was, to be able to make Hashirama go speechless. And to make him choke twice in a row. 

Maybe it was petty to take joy in putting that image in his older brother’s head. But, in his defense, Hashirama had been meeting with a Uchiha by himself with no thought to bring back up. Nor a thought to even tell Tobirama- he had to piece it together on his own! 

Tobirama carried on, hamming it up as much as he could, “Perhaps, that would be unnecessary. Given my natural eye colour, we could simply claim to be of Uchiha descent. I already have a near eidetic memory, it would take some time for anyone to realize anything was amiss.”

Hashirama choked louder at that. Aspen bark and Lilies of the Valley shooting up through the ground in alarm around them as the Mokuton User latched onto Tobirama.

“What the f- No no no no! You can’t be their sibling, you’re my sibling!”

Tobirama cringed back at Hashirama’s sudden loudness before leaning heavily into Hashirama’s arms. The mokuton User gave great hugs, being firm yet not entirely suffocating. It felt nice in his overwhelmed state. 

 Ignoring the squawking, the pale-haired boy limpetted into his brother’s arms. Trusting Hashirama to take him back to his room.

 Now if only Hashirama became a good pillow and shutted up. Maybe he could invest in sound-proof headwear. Then everything would be perfect.

Tobirama noted to look into it after his nap.

Chapter Text

Tobirama quizzically stared at his Father, analyzing everything he suggested and wrote in the scroll.

He did not understand what was wrong.

 “May I ask why I cannot?”

 Butsuma pinched the bridge of his nose, the skin under his eyes seeming dark and aged. The clan head’s hair fell over his hand. Sighing with enough feeling that even someone as oblivious as Tobirama’s older brother could practically feel his exasperation. 

Hm, what could Tobirama have possibly overlooked?

“You cannot… Essentially, pimp your brother in every treaty we make.”

 “And why not?”

 “Why not? Well for one, because treaties must have the ability to be upheld, especially in longer termed alliances.”

 “Is this going to be long-term? Apologies, I was under the impression that the Shimura Clan wished for a temporary alliance as of right now.”

 Father spluttered a lot like Hashirama, realised Tobirama as he observed with tilted his head, somewhat distracted from his confusion. There was no doubting that they were related.

  At least Father did not accidentally spit out his tea like he did when Tobirama presented the training request about Hashirama’s Mokuton.

Though, judging by the reaction his Father gave him, Tobirama was indeed overlooking something rather large. Tobirama seemed to miss the more obvious aspects of issues, much to his annoyance. That was why he and Hashirama made such a good team, Hashirama stabbed at the more broad parts whilst Tobirama weaved around the more complex bits.

By the time Butsuma composed himself into the more refined Clan head that he was, Tobirama had poured out some tea- halfway through attempting to analyze what he was missing.

Tobirama handed him one of the cups of tea he had poured out.

It was a Snapdragon and Chamomile blend that Tobirama had pilfered from Hashirama’s hiding spot near the Naka. Not that pale-haired boy told his Clan Head that. It was none of anyone’s business what his older brother did in his free time. Besides, Hashirama was not getting attacked by his mystery person.

Butsuma seemed to have switched tracks in his head as his eyes visibly flashed as he did.

“Ethics aside... How would it look if the Senju leaned on the labour of one person for everything? We would look like a group of selfish and arrogant people.”

Butsuma paused, looking into Tobirama’s eyes to see if he understood before resuming his explanation, 

“What would you think? Witnessing a clan seemingly extorting labour from our fellow clan members. Especially when we are placing all of the more arduous tasks on the shoulders of a Clan Heir.”

Tobirama thought deeply about that. He did not want the Senju Clan to lose face for the temporary reprieve of convenience. Especially for an even more temporary allyship. Eventually, Tobirama nodded in understanding.

 “...I see,” Tobirama said, processing his Father’s answer, fingers twitching to fix and revise, “Thank you for explaining, Father. I did not think of that.”

“As long as you understand. No more pimping Hashirama out for every little thing,” Butsuma took one last look at Tobirama’s eyes, before sighing into his next sip of tea, “Even if it is extremely convenient to do so.”

Chapter Text

 Skimming through a bit of light reading, Tobirama came across something interesting. 

And he could not believe he did not think of this before.

It was an almost essential part of his Clan’s culture, used in many ceremonies and had a rather large spending budget allocated for it. 

Tea was fairly easy to grow because the plant thrived in multiple types of environments and climates. In addition, several types of teas could potentially come from the same plant, depending on how the grown leaves were handled.

 Having an actual bundle of fertilizer for a brother, the growth rate for farming would be exponential, leaving less of the budget from being spent. This meant that there would also be more money to focus on other necessities for winter due to having larger amounts of a winter budget.

 It would also allow, Tobirama contemplated over the scroll in his hands, for more quality over quantity when it comes to equipment for his experiments and labs.

 Tobirama pulled out one of his blank scrolls to write down the suggestion of such an fortuitous idea, it was something similar to what he suggested involving taking advantage of the third and fourth mistresses to the Shimura Clan head and their obsession with roses.

 It took half a day to find the corresponding numbers and information to plead his case.

But, as he was about to start revising his scroll Tobirama paused, suddenly stuck.

His Father, the clan head, had rejected the Shimura Rose plan he had written out. Claiming it would make the Senju Clan look bad in the eyes of fellow shinobi clans with how extortion of labour from the clan heir looked. Tobirama could not fault the reasoning.

 Hashirama’s Mokuton was very much a cop-out method and answer. 

Admittedly, Tobirama had grown rather lazy in his solutions by involving his older brother. Hashirama would not always be there to grow something. 

Long term for a lifetime was not the same as long term for a clan’s time.

Tobirama had to change his approach in order to help the Senju Clan survive and thrive.

Lowering his head back to his request, Tobirama set to reworking what he could before deciding his new approach to his proposal. It would have to be rewritten on another scroll, seeing as ink was near impossible to get out of the scroll’s parchment. But he could highlight what he liked and emphasize what was needed for the Tea harvesting to work.

The rest of Tobirama’s day was spent fixing and revising the best available teas to grow and where in Senju compound to do so.

Hashirama seemed to grow Chamomile with ease which was good considering most of their clansmen drank it before bed.

However, Tobirama considered, those carrying a child could not drink it for fear of miscarriage. 

There would need to be at least one other type of plant for tea to be harvested from. 

Tobirama remembered Hashirama’s hiding spot by the Naka. 

The pale-haired Senju had seen bundles of Chamomile and green onions next to Oyster Mushrooms and vibrant coloured snapdragons. The plants were growing near each other, something that even a Mokuton User would not be able to force- not without massive amounts of both time meticulous spent and power.

Hashirama was good, but not that good. Yet.

Obviously, those plants could grow next to each other without any true problem.

Abruptly, Tobirama recalled that he had even made a blend of tea with the plants for his Father, during their meeting. Yeah, it had a soothing effect, if a bit on the bitter side.

Patches of Chamomile and Snapdragons around the Senju Compound, it was.

At least, he would not get rejected for ‘abusing and extorting his poor older brother’ like last time. He was still sort of miffed about that, even if it was true.

 And Tobirama was right. With his new and improved proposal, scrubbed clean of any mention of his older brother’s name or abilities, the scroll was approved.

 Maybe Tobirama could get Hashirama to at least help start up the tea patches…

┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬

 Butsuma dodged a few stray shuriken.

He weaved through the rough ground of the forest floor, chasing the foreign shinobi to the edge of Fire country. The ground shook violently as both Hashirama and Tobirama pulled tree roots in cloak-esque protection using it as a platform to gain more momentum. 

Butsuma skidded to a stop right at the tree line, gazing at the retreating backs barely visible against the kicked up clouds of sand.

Hashirama and Tobirama stopped behind him on either side, watching with him the plumage of sand clouds trailing into the distance. 

“That cannot have been a Uchiha. There is no way.”

It was strange indeed, the foreign shinobi certainly did not act like one of those red-eyed Sharingan users. Their fighting style was erratic at best, and looked nothing like the typical fire-natured techniques. The strange Nin moved erratically, and did not run in a single direction and did not even try to make it to the Uchiha Compound.

In fact, Wind Country was almost the opposite way there. 

But most damningly, was the colour of the mystery Shinobi’s eyes. 

Even with the signature fan symbols on the weapons they wielded, their eye colour was not at all natural for a born and bred Uchiha. 

Their eyes were a mulled down yellow, or what could be considered a near matted gold colour. They were more akin to flat obols indented onto a shadow.

“I would say they were a Nara but, with how the wildlife acted around them…”

It was as unsettling as it was strange.

“We could scatter seeds after them- let the winds carry them.”

“Well- yeah, we could, Tobi but-”

“Then, at the start of our potential siege- should we need to, all we would need to do is flood the sands with enough water so the seeds could grow. Given a couple of days, their entire base could be completely compromised and be more difficult to fight in.”

Butsuma blinked alongside his oldest at Tobirama’s words. He could see the advantage of fighting and dodging in foliage, something the Senju had been incidentally doing ever since Hashirama unlocked his Mokuton. 

“I mean, that could work…”

“I vote for using Kudzu, it is annoyingly intrusive and parasitic. In addition to it being near impossible to be rid of.”

“Tobi, no! We,” Hashirama yelped as he latched onto his younger brother, leaves smacking against their armour, “are not going to lay seige on a stranger!”

“A stranger that wears Uchiha garb and attacked us whilst on a mission for the Daimyo of the Fire nation.” Tobirama countered dryly.

Butsuma sighed through his nose. Both his sons argued different points. 

However…

“Boys, let's keep the invasive species to a minimum. No attacks harming an ecosystem unless absolutely necessary. Keep an eye out, we need to head back. ”

He looked at Tobirama, as he spoke his warning.

Tobirama huffed in response.

Chapter Text

 It was the first time in months that Touka had gotten a break from being on constant missions. 

The amount of Courier assignments had been in a noticeable uptick, increasing to hectic levels, before Touka had gotten some sort of reprieve. Traveling was nice and all, but she definitely preferred being close to her family and clan. Though, she suspected that her cousins had brought her schedule to their Father’s attention.

 Touka was certainly not complaining, mind you.

Twas’ a rare time of nice quiet for the clan.

So, with a stuffed leather messenger bag strapped across her chest, Touka decided to take a stroll around the Senju Compound.

 The genjutsu user wanted to take advantage of this time to slow down and just… Look around. In so little time, so much had changed. All the better if you asked Touka. 

 Trailing around the compound, she looked at the small mushroom bundles beside the wooden gateways of the houses. Any alleyways were packed with chamomile and Green onions as the walkways were more sparsely lined with orange and bronze snapdragons. Children snuck a few petals of each to snack on, giggling and quickly shoving them behind their backs whenever an adult came into their line of sight.

Sneaking a few petals of each into her bag, Touka marvelled at how… bright the Senju Compound seemed to be.

Years before, when Hashirama could not control his gift, and Tobirama only toddled around, the Compound never held this much colour. Touka remembers, when she was younger, going on her first ever mission and coming home to a drab and almost washed out home. Where her only light awaiting her return were her cousins. 

But now, everyone was… Happier.

The violence of war and death still loomed over at large. But, now it seemed that the adults held their children with more hope for their survival than ever before. Happy, and spending their days not only as if it were their last, but with a smile on their faces.

The Eastern Training ground held an abundance of thick vines and walloping trees, the enclosed area all surrounded by a ring of Lavender.

Touka remembered the day when Hashirama grew the purple ring.

Tobirama had debuted his Faux-Mokuton, using the water inside the foliage to push and pull them at his will. Hashirama had apparently choked at the sight, from what Tobirama told her. With the element of surprise on his side, Tobirama had won in a landslide. The genjutsu-user had come at the tail end of their spar to the sight of the Mokuton user existing as one big bruise, White Purple Orchids sprouting around his heap of a body.

Touka had to help him up because Hashirama could barely move his legs, having tried to outrun his little sibling. Neither of her cousins had any balm either, so Hashirama had decided to grow lavender around the training ground for future reference.

Hashirama ripped out of the Eastern Training ground with a gusto, twigs and roots flying around him.

Startled abruptly from her deep thinking, Touka could only tighten her grip on the strap to her satchel. 

Think of the devil, Touka amusedly thought, and he shall appear.

Touka locked eyes with Hashirama.

Hashirama locked eyes with Touka.

An almost violently loud thud and crack sounded.

Hashirama broke their impromptu staring contest first and dove behind Touka. Placing his hands on her shoulders as if using her as a shield. He peaked over her shoulder then hid behind her back continuously. Thin roots were still suspended in the air, even as the brunette’s hair got reacquainted with gravity. Along with the twigs and loose dirt.

“I don’t know what I did!” the Mokuton user raspily whimpered. “He got the cracked smile on and and-”

 Cracked smile was a good enough descriptor. Touka’s younger cousin sometimes put on this smile that looked like it was formed like a stones’ weathering. 

Touka understood why her older cousin feared that smile, it was one that made Tobirama’s face akin to a clay mask depicting a mean demon. The smile did not look overlaid on top of his face like a mask would typically portray, instead, it looked like Tobirama’s face was the clay that got molded like an exaggerated mask.

With a loud chuffed growl coming from inside the grounds, Touka felt Hashirama tighten his hands on her shoulders.

“And what did you do, Hashi?” Whispered Touka, dramatically tensing as she stared at the entrance to the training grounds in front of the two. Ah, the Genjutsu-User truly loved riling her family up.

“I don’t know! I can’t think of anything- he was moving too fast- I don’t know wh-”

Touka realised that she could almost smell dampness and peppermint.

This time a prusten sound rang in the tense quiet.

Tobirama trotted out of the Eastern Training ground with a feline grace, some dust smeared on one of his cheeks. And with his appearance, the infamous smile that unsettled Hashirama so much, also appeared. 

Tobirama had his head tilted almost too innocently at the duo.

Tobirama seems amused, Touka noted with similarly great mirth, and he is very lively today.

“Did you not say that you wanted to meet them, Anija?”

Hashirama whimpered from behind Touka. 

Tobirama locked eyes with Touka.

Hashirama locked eyes with Tobirama.

Touka was the first to break the silent staring contest, “Meet who, Cousin?”

Tobirama’s coined Cracked Smile™ widened further. 

Oh good, seems like Touka was on the same page as her younger cousin. They usually were, especially when it came to messing with Hashirama. From behind Tobirama, came lean thick grey spotted and yellow-tinged fur.

Touka blinked.

Well, this was unexpected but not an unwelcome surprise.

 The feline’s eyes locked onto Hashirama’s face on Touka’s shoulder. Hashirama hid his eyes behind Touka and went back to his game of continuously peeking over her shoulder. Hind raised into the air, wiggling their tail as they let out an impressive battle-cry worthy yowl. Charging around the side of the duo to get the startled deer that was Hashirama.

 Hashirama speaked finally letting go of Touka’s shoulders to brace himself, getting tackled by seventy-three pounds of fur and lean muscle.

“Ack-”

Grateful for being spared of getting tackled, Touka sidled up next to Tobirama. Highly entertained by this turn of events. The Genjutsu user opened ber messenger bag, blindly searching inside it as they watched the furry tumble.

“Here, acquired Snow Leopards, did you?”

Tobirama nodded, accepting the bronze snapdragon petals from her as she returned to readjusting the leather satchel. 

“The Contract was finalized and signed this morning.”

Touka whistled, “Snow Leopard summons, impressive. Do you know their name?”

“Not a human one.”

“I see.”

The duo watched in companionable silence the white and brown writhing ball of the Hashirama wrestling with Tobirama’s new summons. It was vastly entertaining to Touka, who always loved to affectionately bully her precious family members. When Hashirama stopped struggling, Tobirama’s summons started grooming his hair, nipping at the roots and twigs remaining in his hair. 

Hashirama’s hair was sticking in every direction from the impromptu clean and groom. 

Thinking about it, Touka entertained the idea that Tobirama should not dream of a school for equal education, but instead dream of opening a daycare for children of all ages. The daycare could even have a side service involving Tobirama’s new summons called ‘Clean and Groom’. Perhaps Tobirama could work on such a program for the Hypothetical Village™ scroll box; the genjutsu user knew Tobirama worked on the scrolls whenever the stream of the busy season came to a crawl.

Touka would have to run the thought by him later.

She lost track of how long they stood there, that cloudy yet bright afternoon. Snacking on plucked petals and tumbling about the Eastern training grounds.

 “Can you please call- whoever their name is- off, Tobi?” Squeakily asked Hashirama from his position pinned underneath the large feline. 

“And what makes you think Tobi can call them off?” Touka asked.

“Wha- Well-, They’re Tobi’s summons!”

“This Summon can speak for themself, and I refuse to do anything of the sort, cub.”

Hashirama flattened into the ground fast with another squeak at the sound of the Snow Leopard talking. Paying no mind to Hashirma’s attempts to become one with the dirt- well used to Hashirama’s hysteric antics, Touka greeted Tobirama’s summons properly.

“Name’s Touka, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, cub.”

“Is there anything you would like to be called other than Tobi’s Summons?”

The Snow Leopard huffed out a purr that sounded close to laughter. At that moment Touka looked at the feline in front of her. They were about three feet in length with a beautiful coat that held spots the colour of stone and pewter. The pattern looked like each of the spots, or Rosettes, were smudged with a faint navy slate colour. Their eyes were hazel, blue and green blended into one another. 

“I do not care what you choose to call me,” purred out Tobirama’s Snow Leopard as they moved off of Hashirama’s prone body. The mokuton user puffed in air as he rolled onto his front to stand up. “As my Summoner has explained, my true name does not translate into the human language well.”

“Well, Tobi. Seeing as they are your summons, why don’t you do the honours?”

Tobirama tilted his head in thought. Hiding most of his face with his hand, as he munched on some of the Snapdragons. Touka could see his eyes glinting.

“Malady-trunk after Anija’s first moniker, it translates to Disease-Riddled Tree.”

Hashirama choked.

“Or, perhaps… Quaggy Picaroon”

“After that old write-up?”

“No-” Hashirama managed to gasp out as he spluttered.

The correspondence had become something of an inside joke in the Senju Clan through the years. It was an old correspondence written by the Senju Elders over two decades ago. It had been found in a stack of scrolls to be declassified and since then had spread across the Senju as a reference.

Spying an opportunity, Touka recited the first line- which was arguably the most infamous line in the scroll, “Egad those Crinkum-crankum Quaggy Picaroons.” 

Then, spying an opportunity, the genjutsu user then spoke the translation, “Oh god, those detailed bog scoundrels!”

 After Hashirama got his choking spitake under control, tilted his head as he wondered aloud, “Wouldn't Rapscallion be a better word to describe them?”

 Touka waved her hand, “Either way, it is said with affection.”

The pale haired Senju leaned over to his new summon, face very solemnly looking at the feline’s face, “It is agreed then, we will call you Egad in honour of the Senju Clan Elder’s and their affections for our sister clan, the Uzumaki.”

Both Summons and Summoner valiantly ignored the withering human puddle of Mokuton as they solemnly looked at each other. Hashirama choked louder, yellow carnations and Lilies of the Valley shooting up through the ground around the group as the Mokuton User launched himself onto Tobirama.

“Absolutely not! Your naming privileges have been revoked!”

┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬

At the end of the day, Tobirama’s Snow Leopards were not christened with a human name. It would be Touka who, in an attempt to screw with Hashirama, started calling Tobirama’s Snow Leopards by different plants. Which then became a trend when the other children in the Senju clan started copying her. 

Snapdragon and Chamomile were the most common names, closely followed by Mushroom and Onion.

Chapter Text

 Tobirama was conflicted but he could not tell anyone why.

 Months ago, the fair-haired Senju had found his older brother’s hiding spot next to the Naka and he had felt a Uchiha’s Chakra across the water. When he had first discovered everything, he had slapped a fish onto Hashirama. 

It was only fair.

 Tobirama had kept quiet about his older brother’s adventures and presence near the river. Time and again, the mokuton-user came back home alive and that was all that mattered in the end to Tobirama. 

 That did not mean Tobirama left his older brother to his own devices without some assurance… 

 Tobirama had hidden weapons around Hashirama’s foliage, just in case. 

 Kunai in the Oyster Mushrooms and senbon in the Peach trees. Tobirama even planted several more plants that were dangerous by nature; he had planted them in the outer rims of Hashirama's hiding spot so that no one had to worry about being poisoned. And when he had gotten the Snow Leopards contract, Tobirama requested for them to keep an eye on his older brother. 

The clouds above only knew how much shenaniganry Hashirama got up to.

 Tobirama still felt conflicted even with what small failsafes he could add to keep his brother just a little more safe.

 Today, Tobirama not only felt conflicted for hiding such a scandalous and near treasonous thing, however. The fair haired Senju also felt something was amiss. He woke up to the feeling that something bad was going to happen, but Tobirama could not place it. Only that today was off.

 Maybe Tobirama's paranoia was catching up to him, being suspicious of a mere feeling when he woke up but- a Shinobi who ignored their instincts was a dead one. So, Tobirama kept an eye on Hashirama's chakra, even going so far as to monitor the other side of the Naka River just in case. 

 It was good that Tobirama did.

 Half an hour after Hashirama snuck out of the compound, Tobirama felt a distinctly different fire akin chakra across the Naka. It felt under developed, more sporadic and jumped around jaggedly. The chakra floated right behind the normal Fire and Hearth chakra, so closely that Tobirama had almost thought he was imagining everything. Then, the sporadic chakra jolted away from the Naka river, darting fast in the direction of the Uchiha Compound. 

Someone had followed Hashirama's Uchiha.

And neither of the two had noticed.

It seemed that Hashirama would have to lose a hiding spot and perhaps an ally.

 It took Tobirama a matter of minutes to leave the Senju Compound. Speeding as fast as he could, Tobirama headed towards his older brother.

He desperately wanted to slap Hashirama with another fish. Maybe Tobirama would, the jury was still out.

┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬┬──┬

 Hashirama had just skipped a smooth stone across the river, bickering with his- dare he say- friend, Madara, when he felt the foliage around him rustling. 

“We need to hide!” demanded his tiny little sibling, nudging Hashirama towards the peach trees. Hashirama nearly jumped out of his skin, arms flying up as his precious little brother suddenly appeared into existence.

“What? Why are you here? Why are we hiding?”

What was even happening, indeed. Several explanations would be extremely appreciated right about now, though that meant that Hashirama would also have to explain…

“Who are you?”

Tobirama turned towards Madara, currently ignoring Hashirama’s questions.

“You were followed, their chakra started back to the compound.”

Hashirama felt ice settle in the pit of his stomach. They were followed, that meant-

“I have a lot of questions I want to have answered, like who are you!"

“If you hold any value to your meetings with my brother, you will not mention us to the party that will come searching,” Tobirama bowed to the ravenette across the water, the Happuri framing his face that Kawarama and Itama gifted him glinted in the sun, “Please.”

 Hashirama felt his eyes widen, Tobirama was not demanding or requesting this of Madara. But instead, asking him.

Hashirama’s eyes traveled to Madara, it was up to him on whether or not they would remain friends. Madara, fiery as he was, only squinted at them before putting his hands behind him and turning around. 

“I never saw you- Either of you.”

Before Hashirama could thank his friend Madara, Tobirama pushed him into the tree line, and under the shrubs and roots. Covering the two in green foliage and thick foggy mist. Suddenly, Hashirama saw sets of feet on either side of Madara’s. The tinier one was mostly silent whilst the other, much larger, asked Madara questions. What felt like hours but must have been minutes, was over when all three left the Naka.

Hashirama and Tobirama stayed there, under the cover of the peach trees long after the trio had left. 

A month later, Hashirama tried sneaking out to visit his friend Madara. He and Ravenette met each other’s fathers instead of hanging out. Tobirama and his Father came out of the forest behind him seconds after Madara’s Father. It took Hashirama and Madara by surprise.

The two brothers made their way back to the Senju Compound in silence.

“Anija…” started Tobirama hushed more than he normally was, which was a feat in and of itself seeing how quiet Hashirama’s beloved brother was on a daily basis, “I… I am sorry.”

 It melted Hashirama. 

Tobirama did not need to apologize. 

Even if Madara and him purposely did not know who each other’s clans were, he should have been more careful due to his position as the Senju Clan Heir. While the his friendship was nice- How it came down, everything that had transpired was Hashirama’s own fault and he knew that.

It was not Tobirama’s fault how his friendship with Madara ended up, it was always going to be sort of complicated and filled with half-truths.

Hashirama gently but firmly hugged his precious remaining little brother close.

“Don’t apologize,” Hashirama murmured to Tobirama, ” None of it was your fault.”

“But, your privacy- I ruined your time with that Uchiha.”

“None of that. You did what you thought was right,” Tobirama leaned heavily into the hug as Hashirama continued on, “And I am glad that you did.”

Hashirama clutched his little brother in that hug tightly. The situation could have been a lot worse, really. The Mokuton User was grateful no blood was shed on either side and it seemed that both Clan Heads turned a blind eye to what could very well have been perceived as treason.  

Tobirama peered from his hiding spot in Hashirama’s clothing to look into the Mokuton user’s eyes, his own eyes rimmed a bit redder, “What?”

“You did not ask me to stop- you even tried preventing everything.”

For a long time after that, the brothers stood there. Silently holding each other up. 

Friendship, Hashirama mused, was important but he knew and loved his brother far more. Something that the brunette knew Uchiha Madara agreed on with his own sibling. 

Maybe- later on...

Madara and him could try being friends once again.

That was a nice thought.