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Tobirama doesn’t really mind being sent on a mission to rescue Izuna. It’s a great way to prove that their clan, and himself especially, supports peace. He didn’t really like the distrustful face Madara gave him, but it was understandable. Madara had wanted to come, but it was agreed speed was of the essence and no one was faster than Tobirama, he could travel at twice Madara’s pace.
Madara was still following behind, but he would be at least a day, if not two away by the time he got to where he felt Izuna.
Before long he’s arriving in the capital and making his way down allies and over buildings to get to where he finds Izuna, Izuna who is fading fast - his chakra slowly diminishing from his sensing as the hours pass by and he knows he’s running out of time. He’s using every ounce of speed he has but he doesn’t think he will make it. Doesn’t think he can get there in time.
If he doesn't, peace is over. There will be no chance. No safety for children like Itama and Kawarama, his brother will become more downcast by the day, forced to watch clanmembers die, forced to fight a man he once said felt like they were meant to be brothers in another life.
He can’t let it happen. He can’t.
It’s surprisingly easy to take down the bandits that have Izuna. If they even are bandits, they are far too nicely dressed and well outfitted with weapons, that combined with the fact that Izuna was taken captive to the capital screams conspiracy. But he can’t focus on that now. Izuna’s life force is almost non-existent now.
The cell Izuna is in is easy to access, mostly due to the key he stole off the guard. Which really was good because the whole room was warded in chakra suppression seals.
He gets to Izuna and instantly knows there is nothing he can do. Izuna needs iryojutsu and he can’t do that here and moving him is a death sentence as well.
“Fuck! No. This can’t be happening,” he growls, fisting his hands in his hair in frustration.
He’s left with no options, he has to move Izuna and hope for the best.
Izuna is still holding on when he gets him out of the cell and away from the chakra suppressing seals, but it’s not enough to save him.
For a moment despair takes over all rational thought, and he performs the most forbidden of all jutsu, the reaper death seal.
In an instant his soul is partially separated from his body, it’s a strange sensation seeing his body over Izuna’s, and seeing Izuna’s leaving his body. Their eyes make contact before Tobirama focuses his attention on the Shinigami.
“I offer you a bargain for his life.”
The Shinigami laughs, “your life for his, I assume?”
If that’s the only option, then yes, Tobirama will make that deal.
“I’ve heard that you have made bargains for stories and memories. Would you be willing to make such a trade?” Please, please make the trade. I don’t want anija to lose another brother.
The Shinigami considers him for a minute, “I will choose the memories.”
“I accept those terms,” it’s not ideal, but it’s not like he’ll miss something he doesn’t remember.
“Good,” The shigami then wraps its left arm with prayer beats and begins to chant, a cursed seal appears on Tobirama’s arm and the Shinigami’s arm. The arm with the cursed seal is then thrust into his head. “I take all memories of your brothers. You will know you had brothers, but their names, all experiences with them, any love you felt, will be gone. As far as you are concerned you will be alone and unloved. The way you have always felt when you fight with your brother.”
The Shinigami pulls his hand from Tobirama’s head and Tobirama watches the soul of a horrified Izuna fall back into his now healed body, right before his own soul returns to his body.
He wonders what memories the Shinigami took. But it’s hardly important right now. His clan head demanded he do his best to bring Izuna back to his brother safely and that’s what he’s going to do.
Izuna is still unconscious when he comes back to his body and is once again alert, he quickly checks the other man’s body for any wounds that need to be healed but finds none. Knowing that Izuna is well and safe to travel, he hoists the lighter man onto his back and leaves, heading straight to the burning chakra he knows is Madara’s.
He doesn’t know what plot is happening here, but he knows they need to get away from it as fast as possible.
It’s less than a day before he intercepts the older Uchiha.
“What the hell did you do, Senju?!” Madara shouts at him.
Tobirama just rolls his eyes, the man is entirely unable to control his emotions and frankly it’s an embarrassment to shinobi everywhere. “I did nothing Uchiha, your brother is alive but unconscious. He seems to have been tortured but I ensured he was hale and whole before traveling with him.”
Madara eyes him dubiously still but takes Izuna off his back once Tobirama turns away from him. Madara checks Izuna for any injury and finds none. “Why isn’t he conscious?”
“He died for a moment before I was able to save him, I imagine it was a strain on his body and mind,” Tobirama replies, completely unaffected by his own words.
For a moment he feels like that’s strange, he knows his clan head wants him to get along, but then again why would he care about that enough to attempt to be friendly? It’s not like Hashirama-sama can force him to be friends with the Uchiha. All he can do is require him to behave appropriately. Which he has.
“He died?!” Madara screeches.
“As I said, I saved him. So please save the hysterics. If you need anything further please inquire with Hashirama-sama. I would like to go home and bathe.” Then with a curt nod Tobirama turns and leaves.
He is completely unaware of the shock and confusion on Madara’s face as he tries to understand this sudden flip from the younger Senju brother.
He is just eager to get back to his small home and take a bath.
-.-
Izuna opens his eyes with a groan, everything hurts, and his mind feels like it was pulled apart and put back together. Memories suddenly flood his mind. Tobirama.
“Tobirama!” Izuna shouts and sits up, looking everywhere for the slightly younger man.
“Izuna! You’re okay! Sage, I was so worried about you.You’ve been asleep for almost two days.” Madara says as he lunges forward to pull him into a hug.
Izuna can’t reciprocate, not now. Not when he doesn't know what happened to Tobirama. If he was okay. “Where is Tobirama?”
Madar pulls back with a confused frown, “why do you even care? I assume he’s back home.”
Izuna pales. That’s the worst thing he can imagine. He has to warn Hashirama. “We need to go to the Senju compound. Right now!”
“What, why?”
“Because Tobirama did the unthinkable to keep me alive. And Hashirama needs to know. He needs to be warned.”
“I’m sure he’s already figured it out. Tobirama has been back for at least a day.”
“Fuck! That’s worse. We have to go right now.”
“If you want to go you need to explain what’s going on.” Madara is giving him an extremely distrusting look. “Did he do something to you?”
Izuna feels physically pained. He was of course happy to be alive and with Madara. But the cost feels too high. What would he do if Madara came home with no memory of him? No memory of their lost siblings? It would break him. Especially if he didn’t know why.
“He didn’t do anything to me. It’s what he did to himself to save me. He gave up all memories of his brothers. He will never remember any of them. All those emotional ties have been severed. Hashirama needs to know. He needs to know now!”
Izuna can see the moment realization kicks in and horror and sadness war for their place on his face. “Okay, we’ll go now. I’ll let Hikaku know he’s in charge while we are away.”
-.-
Tobirama doesn’t understand why Hashirama-sama keeps trying to touch him. It’s unbecoming of a clan head, and while he knows the man is affectionate with the whole clan this is a bit much. Though it could have something to do with him saving Izuna and therefore saving peace.
“That is enough! I have put up with your affections enough, Hashirama-sama. Please respect my space and boundaries,” Tobirama says firmly. It’s time he put his foot down. This is unacceptable.
Hashirama flinches and looks like he might cry. “Hashirama-sama? Are you upset with me? What did I do?”
Tobirama struggles to suppress his sigh. “Why would you take me wanting you to respect my boundaries as me being angry at you? I am getting angry that you continue to try to hug me when I have expressed my distaste for such affections.” At Hashirama-sama's hurt face he does sigh. “I understand you appreciate me going on that mission to preserve our chances at peace. But that hardly gives you reason to be so affectionate.”
“Tobira? I don’t understand?” Hashirama-sama says, his voice wobbling like he really will cry.
“I do not recall giving you leave to address me so informally. Please excuse me and attempt to respect my boundaries from now on.” Even though he knows it might get him in trouble, dismissing your clan head and leaving while he is speaking to you is highly frowned upon, but he just can’t deal with the man anymore.
He doesn’t understand either why he keeps being invited to dine with the man. Tobirama is a busy person, he has his experiments to supervise, clan paperwork and training new shinobi, he has his own training regimen, his house to keep orderly, among other things.
He has absolutely no time for Hashirama except for receiving missions and reporting back.
-.-
“You’re telling me that my brother is gone?” Hashirama asks - his voice is difficult to interpret. It sets him on edge. Is he going to blame Izuna?
“That’s what happened,” Izuna confirms, “I think the god thought it funny to erase you as anything more than just his clan head completely instead of just erasing his memories and leaving him aware of your sibling bond.”
Hashirama seems ready to faint. Izuna never saw him look so ill before. Before the man looked strong and always cheerful, now he just looks small and defeated. Broken
“I…Thank you for telling me, Izuna.” His voice is devoid of any emotion. Like he just can’t summon his feelings right now.
“I am sorry that-”
“It’s alright,” Hashirama interrupts, “I asked him to save you. It isn’t your fault. You may go. I need to- I have some duties to attend to.”
Izuna doesn’t insist. He thinks that Hashirama is reacting pretty well given the gravity of the news. The man has summarily lost his last brother and been given a shell of him to see walking around the Senju compound, fated to never recognize him ever again.
Aniki wouldn’t stop screaming and raging at the world if their situations were reversed. He would have hated the Senju if Izuna did the same to save Tobirama in order to save peace. He would never have wanted peace at the price of him.
It makes him feel immensely guilty. He was the one to put Tobirama in an impossible situation in the first place, though unintentionally, and he never would have asked the man to do something so drastic. Why should Tobirama’s family pay the price for that?
There must be a way to reverse it. Maybe if they tell Tobirama about what happened, his memories will return? He can only test that out.
That’s how he starts a weird friendship with his rival and Konoha is founded.
-.-
“I still don’t remember him, Izuna,” Tobirama tells him. “This seal isn’t reversible. It was that or my life. I think I chose the better deal anyway. Besides, it’s not like I miss him.”
Izuna makes a face at that. Of course Tobirama doesn’t miss Hashirama, but the opposite couldn’t be sadder to watch. Ever since Hashirama learned of what happened, he stopped insisting so much on being in Tobirama’s life.
But it has a visible cost on him. He’s not so cheerful anymore, and his smiles are few and far between. No happiness at the small things. He’s a shell of his former self.
It seems that his little brother was the source of his joy and now that he doesn’t have it, Hashirama has kept going simply because there’s no one to fill in his place - and because he can’t not take care of Tobirama, even if it’s from a distance now.
“But-”
“Izuna.” There’s a warning in Tobirama’s voice that makes him stop. “I tried- we tried everything. I have talked to Hashirama. Listened to stories about our childhood. We gardened, meditated, dined and everything else you thought of, we did together. I can’t remember him. I don’t. It’s pointless to keep trying. I think it’s for the best if we simply forget about it. We’re both doing fine, so you don’t need to continue this, this quest out of guilt. I can’t seem to get along with him, our personalities just clash and we have very little in common.”
Izuna frowns. The Senju brothers are not doing fine. Tobirama feels like another person entirely - and Izuna knows him mostly from the battlefield so that is telling.
There must be something he can do to-
Well, there must be a way. He can’t stand and watch this happening anymore without intervening. It’s so miserable it’s making everyone around them miserable too!
With that in mind, he lets it go. If he can’t solve problems in traditional ways, he’ll do it the Tobirama way - by creating some jutsu. If his rival can be a scientist, then so can he.
-.-
Izuna is terrible at being a scientist. He doesn’t know where to begin.
But then…
If memories are what is lacking in Tobirama’s life…
Why not force him to see them? To experience them? Maybe, even if that doesn’t make him actually remember, then it might give him a better understanding of Hashirama and, with any luck, make him try to rekindle their connection.
That’s it! Why hadn’t it occurred to him before!?
Izuna rushes to where he knows Tobirama is - at the Hokage tower, pestering aniki with paperwork.
“Izuna, what-?”
“Tobirama is taking the day off, aniki. Come, we’re leaving.”
“Izuna-” That is Madara’s voice but Izuna is more than happy to drag his friend out - it’s not like being the Hokage’s brother has no perks.
Sometimes one has to enjoy one’s privileges.
“Where are we going?” Tobirama asks between jumps from roof to roof.
“To regain your memories.”
“I told you-”
“I know and it’s bullshit.” Izuna tells him firmly. “Neither of you are fine and I’m fixing that today.”
Tobirama doesn’t protest any more but his thunderous expression is enough to convey his feelings.
When they enter Hashirama’s house, they seek him out in the garden - where he has taken to spending most of his days since the news from Izuna disrupted his routine with his brother.
“Izuna and, ah, Tobirama,” Hashirama says. “Is this another attempt?”
Hashirama’s voice is tight, even if he tries to appear happy by their visit.
“It is.”
Without prompting he drags Tobirama to sit down beside Hashirama and takes his place in front of both brothers.
“I tried to tell him we’re not continuing this mad quest for regaining my memories but he won’t listen.”
“I see,” Hashirama says.
“We’re doing something a little different this time.” Izuna tells them, ignoring Tobirama’s comment. “I’m putting you both under a genjutsu.”
That earns him two pairs of raised eyebrows. He won’t tell them it’s an adapted one from his mangekyo used specially to torture enemies, giving them livid sensations.
“You’re what?” Tobirama asks - more like dares him to repeat that.
“A genjutsu. Don’t break it. It’ll work, you’ll see.”
“How does a genjutsu-”
Izuna gives Tobirama no time to question his methods, his sharingan spinning and his mangekyo surging in its place, jutsu cast and working.
It’s a big invasion of privacy - especially because Izuna isn’t part of their family and he’s invading all of Hashirama’s memories and sharing them with another person (doesn’t matter that it’s his brother, everyone is entitled to their privacy on some things and this jutsu doesn’t have a filter) but it is a worthy cause.
Izuna watches Tobirama experience all those memories of their lives - their younger brothers, their happy moments, Butsuma’s cruelty, their mother’s death, then their siblings.
The bad moments: their fateful encounter at the Naka, the separation and strain of their relationship.
All the training Hashirama watched Tobirama go from afar. The terrible dinners with their father. His death. How Hashirama tried to bridge that gap but couldn’t because Tobirama thought he preferred Madara over him.
Honestly? Izuna might be crying - he’s certainly sad.
There’s good memories too. Both brothers lie down during nights in their garden to watch the stars together after Butsuma’s death. Private moments and meaningful conversations trying to breach the gap in their relationship.
Their understanding of each other slowly being remade and their brotherhood being made anew.
One thing that is undeniable throughout it all is the love Hashirama feels for Tobirama. It’s clear as day, when he returns from saving Izuna, that every time he brushes off Hashirama’s attempts to be closer the Senju clan head feels like he’s being stabbed inside.
When the memories stop, Izuna can feel his eyes bleeding and he thinks it might be dark outside but his normal vision is too damaged for that - a small price to pay if it means Tobirama can at least experience his life again, even if it’s through the eyes of his brother.
He tries to stop the blood but there’s only so much that can be done - that is, until two pairs of hands come up to hold his face and healing chakra is being poured inside his damaged nerves. Like this, he can feel Tobirama’s precise chakra guiding Hashirama’s own wild one to where Izuna hurts the most.
Together, they heal him like a well oiled machine.
When they are done, Izuna blinks, his vision clear and restored.
Then, there’s Tobirama coming to him, awkwardly hugging him.
“Anija, this is a group hug.” He declares, voice tight, as if giving permission pained him (or maybe he’s just being dramatic in his own way). “I’m not repeating this again.”
“Tobi!”
It’s more than enough for Hashirama, who throws himself at them, squeezing the life out of the two.
Izuna feels some of his ribs cracking - asking for mercy.
When they part, Hashirama has tears in his eyes, “you- do you-?”
“I remember,” Tobirama answers him with a small smile of his own.
This time, Izuna is glad to not be included in the hug. He quietly slips away, leaving the brothers to their happy reunion. His job here is done, his debt is paid and his friend is in good hands with his family.
-.-
“Oh, shit!” Izuna says when he finally gets home and enters his bedroom. “You scared the fuck out of me!”
Tobirama - or is this one a clone? He can never tell - is standing there and looking at him with a raised eyebrow - a judgmental one at that.
“What?”
“You’re a highly trained shinobi, how could you not see me?”
Izuna rolls his eyes. “I didn’t think you’d be so eager to leave your brother to see me. Besides, I’m home. Isn’t Konoha supposed to be safe? If I can’t relax here, then we’re all doomed.”
Tobirama only shakes his head at that, as if disappointed in him.
“Why are you here anyway? Shouldn’t you be trying to escape hugs right now?”
“I wanted to thank you, Izuna.” Tobirama answers.
It is said in a quiet tone of admission, like a confession.
He smiles, “it was nothing you wouldn’t have done for me if you could.”
A look of understanding passes between them - there’s nothing Tobirama wouldn’t do for Izuna and there’s nothing Izuna wouldn’t do for Tobirama.
They are one, two sides of the same coin and there’s no god that can stand between them.
-.-
The end.