Work Text:
“Thanks for the spar.” Izuna said playfully, tightening his ponytail and grinning sidelong at the alpha as he flicked it over his shoulder.
“Going to leave me just like that?” Chitan asked archly, and Izuna’s eyes narrowed at the tone.
“It was fun, but I’ve got things to do today.” Izuna dropped his flirtation, making his point. Yeah, Chitan was an attractive alpha, but Izuna found neither snappish demands nor whining attractive, and he was in no place to press Izuna. “Maybe another time, eh?”
Chitan moved closer in slow steps, and Izuna turned to focus on him head-on. “Aww, come on, Izu-kun. . .”
Izuna’s hackles prickled at the tone as well as the over-familiar diminutive, and he lifted his jaw, backing up a step. He’d been glad to find an out-Clan alpha willing to spar with him and apparently enjoy it even, and indulged in flirting a little, but he was well past done with this attitude - from anyone. “Not really my-”
“I said, calm down,” Chitan interrupted, voice harsher now, taking hold of Izuna by the wrist, “feisty little omega, aren’t you? Do they not teach proper manners to omegas in your clan?”
Izuna growled, twisting and lashing out - pulling the blow, because Chitan had been obnoxious as hell but he hadn’t done anything to rate an actual attack. Yet. Izuna was reserving judgement on that. “What consists of proper omega behaviour is a little different in your clan than mine.” he said, sneering.
“That has been quite obvious.” Chitan said, taking a step closer and pressing Izuna up against the log fence. “A little light sparring is one thing, but you are-”
“Today was a little light exercise, you think you could match me in a real spar?” Izuna asked disdainfully. He matched toe to toe with his brother on a regular basis; Chitan was nothing to dismiss for the battlefield, perhaps, but he didn’t hold a candle to Madara - or to Izuna himself.
“I think you’re a snotty little omega who needs putting in his place.” Chitan growled, flaring his alpha aura. “That can be fixed.” His aura was heavy and cloying and-
Izuna shoved at the feeling trying to dull his senses and his anger, growling in return, irritation building into fury. “You mean I can be fixed?”
Chitan smirked at him. “Just need the right alpha for the job, and I’m sure with a little work you’ll be a perfect omega.” he said, voice curling around the superlative like it should be some sort of temptation.
“Get the hell off me you knothead ass!” Izuna snapped, twisting his wrist free entirely and punching Chitan in the ribs, hard.
He wheezed, but shoved forwards in the same moment, thumping them both into the fence, Izuna trapped between him and the solid wood. Izuna would have at least singed Chitan reflexively, but he didn’t quite have room to make seals - not that he was unwilling to kick the snot out of this alpha hand to hand by now. He shifted and shoved to get room, then yelped as teeth sank into his shoulder.
Izuna lashed out and did not hold back this time. “You absolute presumptuous jackass, if you ever come near me again I’ll fry you!” he bellowed in his best imitation of his brother as Chitan stumbled back, punching him square in the face, bringing up his hands to make a seal.
Chitan lunged, grabbing at his hand, and his chakra didn’t come. Izuna’s heart beat faster, alarm singing through every nerve.
“Get off me.” he snapped, low and hard.
“Calm down, Izu-kun-”
“Get off me!” Izuna bellowed, ducking away and kicking out. He heard the crack of Chitan’s ribs as his heel made contact, but Izuna was already moving the opposite direction. He was not sticking around to see what else Chitan had planned, or risking anything more without knowing why his chakra hadn’t answered his call - or that it would return.
He bolted across Konoha for the Uchiha compound, breathing a little easier as he passed through the gates. He dipped his head in greeting to an elderly omega working on the public garden near the gates, but didn’t stop.
He didn’t quite realise he’d gone for his brother’s home rather than his own until he was fumbling at the door, and then. . .
Izuna let himself in and nearly tumbled through the door on shaky legs, even more relieved now to be home, in this place that scented like his brother, his family, even if it weren’t his den exactly. Two steps in he ran headlong into a broad chest that smelled like alpha and home and-
Izuna grabbed hold, shaking a little now his instincts were singing safe, clinging as a rough alpha rumble thrummed through him, comforting and heady, and-
It took him a minute, but. . . Izuna tipped his head back slowly. It wasn’t his brother he had run right into and clung to, like a frightened pup.
Tobirama continued rumbling soothingly, rubbing his back, and Izuna caught his breath, hitching and unsteady, and ducked his head again. His instincts still sang safe and his reason promised the same, and-
And Tobirama felt good, calming and strong, not only alpha but pack.
Izuna barely managed to catch back the pleading little murmur of alpha he wanted to voice, whining wordlessly instead, pressing his face to Tobirama’s shoulder.
“Steady, Izuna.” Tobirama said rather than any placating nonsense, and . . . that was nice, too. Izuna drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tobirama stroked his back again, then stilled, and Izuna drew back a little.
Tobirama’s hand was suddenly on his shoulder, gripping just shy of too tight, and Izuna’s eyes widened. “Who did this to you?” Tobirama demanded, his voice thrumming with a snarl and his fangs showing, his gleaming eyes narrow.
Izuna opened his mouth, then hesitated, shaking his head. “It doesn’t-”
“Izuna.” Tobirama said, firm but not angry.
“I’m not a pup!” Izuna snapped, yanking away. Tobirama didn’t hold on to him, or even press him, and Izuna hated him for a moment for being so . . . easy; for knowing not to hold on and giving in so smoothly. If he’d pushed . . . but of course he didn’t.
“No, you aren’t.” Tobirama said easily, and Izuna huffed. “But,” he reached out, and Izuna twitched as Tobirama’s hand smoothed over his neck and shoulder, though he didn’t mind the contact, “you are pack, Izu.”
Izuna swallowed, shivering a little, leaning in towards Tobirama thoughtlessly. He didn’t mind the diminutive here, he thought, not quite surprised. Tobirama squeezed more gently this time, thumb rubbing over his neck.
Not far from the raw mark Chitan’s teeth had left in scraping over his shoulder.
“You’re pack, and someone hurt you.” Tobirama said, flavoured with a rough growl.
Izuna let himself be drawn in close again, leaning against Tobirama. He hesitated, a needy croon catching in his throat. “. . .’m I?” he asked before he could stop himself.
“Of course you are.” Tobirama said softly, arms coming up around Izuna once more. “Don’t you know that, Izu?”
Izuna took a breath, closing his eyes. “Yeah.” he said quietly. “Yeah I- Of course.”
Tobirama rumbled again, swaying with Izuna held close. He sighed, sagging into the hold.
“. . .one decent alpha in your clan, why did my brother, my alpha brother, have to snag him?” Izuna mumbled, and Tobirama tensed. Izuna rolled his eyes. “Oh don’t worry, I’m not holding any-”
“A Senju alpha hurt you?” Tobirama asked, and his alpha aura had flared, heavy and oppressive and oddly calming. Izuna could feel the force of it, but it wasn’t . . . affecting him.
Pack, he thought, nosing against Tobirama’s throat almost thoughtlessly. He brushed by the scarred, perfect marks of his brother’s teeth there, and almost smiled.
“Who?” Tobirama demanded again, and Izuna hesitated, then-
“I dealt with him myself, and I would have more than that, but-” Izuna stopped. Maybe Tobirama knew what it was, knew how to fix it if it wasn’t already. . . “He just touched me and my chakra wouldn’t come, I couldn’t use a jutsu,” Izuna’s voice shook, “Tobira I. . .”
“Chitan.” Tobirama bit out, and Izuna leaned back, eyeing him with surprise. “There’s only one family with that particular trick, and Chitan is the only male alpha who would have pulled it.” he explained, voice tight and eyes hard. “It only works for a moment, and it has to be timed to the exact breath of the chakra release; it’s barely worth trying, usually. That’s how most of their family died - misjudging the moment in battle and falling to an enemy jutsu they invited from a handspan away.”
Izuna took a breath, then lifted his hands, flicking through seals. His chakra surged and Tobirama stepped away as he breathed a little puff of a katon. It soothed his heart unimaginably to see it, to feel it, and Izuna had to restrain himself from immediately calling up another, bigger one.
Tobirama’s hand slid up his arm and Izuna shuddered, just . . . breathing for a moment.
“All right, Izu?” Tobirama asked, and Izuna nodded. Tobirama’s eyes narrowed. “I will need to go and see to Chitan.”
Izuna grabbed him. “Hey!” he snapped. “I was the one he was a jackass to, I will deal with him! I,” he paused, “I might have been upset, but I’m not some delicate-”
“Not because you’re an omega,” Tobirama said, not pulling away from Izuna’s tight grip on his arm, “I should deal with him because he is one of my clan, and he is evidently in great need of a reminder as to what is acceptable treatment of allies.” His eyes narrowed again. “Or omegas.”
“I can deal with a jackass alpha myself.” Izuna said firmly, and Tobirama inclined his head.
“I’m absolutely certain you can.” Tobirama arched an eyebrow, lips quirking. “And have. My clan is my responsibility, however; second to my brother.” He paused, snorting wryly. “In some ways.”
Izuna, having grown rather familiar with Hashirama over the time since they had founded Konoha, snorted a laugh as well. He shook his head, though. “I don’t-”
“Madara.” Tobirama greeted, and Izuna turned to look over his shoulder at his brother coming in the door. Tobirama had soothed Izuna’s unease and his heart beat easy again now, but this was his brother. Madara who had been there since Izuna was born, who meant everything to Izuna and who always made things right for him, no matter what it took.
Izuna released Tobirama. “Aniki.” His voice shook a little.
“Izuna?” Madara said, tensing immediately, a rumble already catching in his throat.
“Madara, look after your brother,” Tobirama said, and Izuna startled, “I have some . . . clan business to attend to myself.”
Izuna’s head snapped around. “Tobira, don’t you-”
“Someone attacked him today.” Tobirama said, and then Izuna was interrupted by his brother catching hold of him.
“What?” Madara bellowed, shaking the house up to the rafters and reminding Izuna of how poor his own imitation truly was. He didn’t think it was because of Madara being an alpha so much as Madara being Madara, honestly.
“I’m fine.” Izuna protested as Madara caught hold of him, hands warm and sure, gentle for all his strength as he nuzzled Izuna and scented him. Izuna knew the exact moment Madara found the raw scrape on his shoulder, feeling the shudder of tension run through his brother.
“What happened?” Madara snarled, and Izuna huffed. “Izuna. . .” It was almost a warning note this time, and Izuna whined softly, bowing his head. He submitted to being inspected, nuzzled, and marked with possessive fretfulness; his brother’s cheek rubbing firmly along his jaw and his brother’s hands running over his body.
“I’m all right, Aniki.” Izuna said, nuzzling Madara in return, leaning into his shoulder, sighing. “It was just some idiot alpha; I broke a few of his ribs and told him if he comes near me again I’ll set him on fire.”
Madara growled, loud and long, fingers tightening on his back, almost kneading at him, and Izuna purred a soft, soothing note by reflex. It quieted Madara, just a little, his frame easing a fraction.
Izuna nuzzled his cheek. “I’m all right,” he said again, feeling it more with Madara all but wrapped around him, “just angry.” he added wryly.
And Tobirama was gone, sneaky, quick . . . demon. Izuna huffed through his nose, feeling a spark of irritation.
He was distracted by Madara demanding to know what had happened exactly, and Izuna grumbled, ducking his head. He didn’t exactly love admitting he’d been flirting with the Senju alpha who had turned out to be such a bastard.
While their clans had been settled in what was now Konoha together for some time, Izuna knew fairly few Senju personally - most familiar were Tobirama himself, and Hashirama, both of whom were perhaps . . . unusual for Senju alphas. Izuna knew enough of the differences between their clans that he certainly hadn’t fooled himself into thinking Chitan would be truly like either of them, but. . .
Madara kissed his temple, holding him close. “I’ll fry him.” he growled, and Izuna felt both comforted and irritated at the promise.
“I can fry him myself. If it’s necessary.” Izuna added with ill grace. “I don’t like it, Aniki, but he didn’t do anything worthy of killing him over.”
Madara bared his teeth, his expression making it clear that he didn’t agree. Izuna couldn’t exactly argue that he hadn’t wanted to kill Chitan for a moment there - his teeth in Izuna’s shoulder as though he had a right to that, his body penning Izuna in as though he could just demand, take, his smug grin as though Izuna would roll over for him and like it, just because he pushed. . .
Izuna felt a tingling shudder of fresh fury, but pushed it back. Chitan had pushed, aggressively, maybe rudely even for the mores of his clan, but he hadn’t posed enough of a threat to excuse killing him, much less the unsettlement that would follow between their clans if Izuna - or Madara - did so.
It took Madara longer to calm down, but he got there as well - and it helped when Tobirama returned, wearing a vicious little smirk and. . .
Izuna’s nose twitched. He rose, slipping free of Madara’s comfortable embrace, and moved thoughtlessly towards Tobirama; he held still, inviting Izuna close. He bent, closing his eyes, and drew in a breath.
Chitan’s blood.
Izuna couldn’t help a sharp little grin of his own. Tobirama’s smirk softened slightly as he rumbled low in his throat, and Izuna realised he must have known - true, Izuna’s nose was sharper than any alpha’s, but Tobirama was the one who had dealt whatever damage made the alpha bleed.
Tobirama must have known the scent he carried, and he had worn it home . . . for Izuna’s sake, he thought.
Izuna purred, pressing against his brother’s mate and nuzzling him affectionately, and Tobirama chuckled, nosing his face and rubbing a hand down his back. Madara joined them a moment later, running one hand up the other side of Izuna’s back and moving around close enough to nuzzle his mate.
The alphas of Izuna’s pack were solid and steady, close against his sides, their auras heavy in the air even though they were both calmer now. It was cosily comforting and it brought a purr up in Izuna’s throat as he snuggled between them.
Izuna didn’t protest when Madara insisted he stay the night, even though his own den was nearby within the compound; while he knew his brother was protective and affectionate - he always had been - Izuna wondered if it wasn’t at least half to spare Izuna the supplicatory feeling of asking for himself.
Despite the comfort of the room he had slept in many times before, however - and the comfort of knowing he was safe not only in his brother’s territory, but in his den - Izuna was restless. Not . . . frightened, not even really uneasy, just. . .
Izuna rose again, idly pacing through the house. He paused, looking at the door. He hadn’t denned down with his brother in some time, of course - not since the early days when they’d settled here, when Konoha had been nameless and little more than an idea. Not since before Madara had built a den with his now-mate, and while they had certainly not pushed Izuna away or even intimated it would be more comfortable with him elsewhere, he had chosen to share a den with Hikaku instead of remaining here with them.
But. . .
Izuna peeked in the door cautiously.
Madara was stretched out on his side, back to the door, and Tobirama was propped up against the wall, reading by the light of a softly green-tinted lamp. Izuna hesitated, and Madara shifted, rumbling softly in invitation.
Izuna slipped through the door, and Tobirama crooked his fingers. Izuna smiled, shoulders easing, and he crossed the room to crawl into their bed, enveloped in the scent and feel of alpha.
Pack.
Izuna sighed, going lax on his belly, his brother a warm presence against his shoulder and side. He closed his eyes.
He startled a moment later as gentle fingers stroked over his hair, running down his ponytail and back up to start again. It wasn’t Madara’s touch; actually he was pretty sure his brother was mostly asleep.
Izuna shifted a little under Tobirama’s hand. “. . .I’m still angry at you.” he said, and huffed a little. “I could’ve dealt with him myself. And you left me with Madara all worked up over all of it.”
“Are you really?” Tobirama asked, turning a page in his book, lowering his hand to ruffle his fingers through Izuna’s fringe, caressing his temple before running down the length of his hair again.
Izuna grumbled, wriggling a little. Tobirama petted him lightly and Madara rested close against his shoulder. Izuna stretched lazily, pressing into the warm solidity of his brother all along his side.
“No.” he said after another few moments. “You’re- You’re a good brother.” He nudged a little closer, face resting against Tobirama’s thigh. “Shut up.”
“Mm.” Tobirama rumbled quietly, all reassurance and contented alpha, resting his hand on the nape of Izuna’s neck for a moment. It could have felt like a threat, would have from most people, but here, from Tobirama, it only felt safe and warm.
Izuna closed his eyes and purred as Madara sleepily wound an arm around his waist, curling closer, and drifted to sleep under Tobirama’s idly stroking hand.