Chapter Text
"Tobirama," Hashirama barged into the lab like he had the right to be there. His brother, well used to such interruptions, barely moved from where he was bent over his work. "Are you done yet?"
"Anija," he said without looking around. "I assume you haven't gone blind in the last three hours."
"I know, but you might just be playing." Hashirama smiled down at the Uchiha pinned to the table. He got a blank look for his trouble, not even an attempt at a snarl. "You're keeping this one, aren't you?"
"Hikaku will get the same choice as all the others," Tobirama said. "Except Madara of course."
"I don't like the daimyo being able to pull us around like this," Hashirama said. He put his hand on Tobirama's shoulder and tapped his fingers twice. His brother continued, no tell-tale freeze or stutter in his movements. He finished inking the seal and filled it with chakra. Hikaku let out a moan of pain, though he tried to stifle the noise. "Oh, Tobi, you put your symbol in there!"
"Of course." Tobirama always was more possessive than most gave him credit for. "Did the daimyo give any account of how he wants things done?"
"As if he would." Hashirama rolled his eyes. He knew what Tobirama was doing. "He left it up to us, but I assume he wants them presentable. No one with gaping holes in their face."
"And yet he made the point of no seals," Tobirama said, a note of disdain in his voice. "As if my seals will fail. Blindness is the only way then." He stood up, forcing Hashirama to take a step back. "Come on, Hikaku. The growth is going to hurt so I assume you want to be with Izuna and Madara rather than here." Hikaku scrambled up, ungainly and clumsy in a way he had never been in battle. He walked beside Tobirama, but a step behind to make it clear where his place was.
"How is Madara doing? Whenever I see him he just spits in my face." Hashirama found this unpleasant but understandable. If Madara had only accepted his peace terms when the Uchiha were on equal terms, all of this could have been avoided.
"Not quite sure why you think I get a better reception," Tobirama said dryly. "The babies are growing and moving as they should. He seems uncomfortable but it seems to be the more normal kind. I've been taking lessons from the midwives in order to monitor him properly."
"At least we know the seal works," Hashirama said. "Though the real test will be when the babies come out."
"Already thought of it," Tobirama said. Hashirama couldn't help but think that Hikaku looked relieved. "Are you going to test Izuna's seals soon?"
"Probably," Hashirama said. "The Elders are complaining that you have so many gifts to yourself." Hashirama laughed at the expression on Tobirama's face. "Don't worry, I reminded them of who exactly is getting their breeding idea up and running and they've settled down."
"If they had contributed more to the war, they would have gotten a gift," Tobirama said. Hashirama agreed but they were outside of Tobirama's lab and he couldn't be overheard talking badly about the Elders. Anything he wanted to say would be said to their faces. They remained in the private residence of the Clan Head but there were at least two other people in the house, either cooking or cleaning, and Hashirama wasn't going to discount their ears simply because they couldn't use chakra.
The room where the siblings resided was in the same wing as Hashirama and Tobirama's bedrooms, just down the corridor. The three of them seemed more agreeable with having a ‘private’ space of their own (Tobirama had laid down all the monitoring and security seals before they had moved in). Hikaku went in first, as was Tobirama's direction, and Hashirama followed afterwards. He could see the relief on Madara and Izuna's faces as Hikaku re-joined them, only for those expressions to disappear when they noticed Tobirama and Hashirama. Though most of their ire was directed at Hashirama. Interesting.
"You're looking big," he said cheerfully to Madara, who only snarled at him. His swollen stomach wasn't that noticeable lying down but the tighter kimonos Tobirama had given to Madara, Izuna and Hikaku showed it off nicely. Tobirama waved off Hikaku, who sat down on the other side of Madara to Izuna and then all three concubines watched as Tobirama stretched out a hand and pressed it on Madara's bump.
"The children are healthy," Tobirama said. Madara grumbled but did not snarl or lash out like he would if it was Hashirama doing the touching. He smiled to himself. It was just like Tobirama to accidentally charm the enemy after the war had been won. Hashirama sat down and pulled Izuna onto his lap, ignoring the flailing and the instinctive strikes before Izuna got himself under control. He squirmed away from Hashirama's touch but didn't outwardly reject it, accepting Hashirama's hand slipping through the folds of his kimono and onto Izuna's stomach. He could feel the raised lines of the seal against his hand and a smile twitched at his lips.
"Not here, Anija," Tobirama said over his shoulder. Madara looked like he wanted to gut Hashirama but that wasn't any different to normal.
"As if I would do anything right now." Hashirama lightly bit the side of Izuna's neck and watched as he shivered. "But if I test the seal, Izuna isn't in the draw."
"What draw?" Madara's voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken for a while. It was nothing like the man who had shouted commands at his soldiers as he tried valiantly to defeat the Senju with Tobirama's battle tactics and Hashirama's Mokuton. His eyes were on Izuna though. Tobirama shot Hashirama a look.
"It's not really a draw unless it has to be," Hashirama said, his voice remaining casual. "The daimyo has requested a certain number of former Uchiha to the Capital. He's very interested in this new seal of Tobirama's." He looked up to find Madara staring at him, horror-struck. "Don't worry, everyone will get a choice. Well, apart from you. The daimyo doesn't want you any closer to him."
"You said about the daimyo wanting certain things done," Hikaku said. He was getting bolder since the beginning. Hashirama approved to a point, as long as it didn't lead to any escape attempts which would endanger his brother.
"Yes, well, he doesn't trust Tobirama's seals with his own safety." Hashirama resented the insult to his brother, but he was used to people underestimating just how much of a genius Tobirama was. "And he can't have anyone wandering around with a potential active Sharingan." Izuna had gone stiff on his lap.
"They'll be blinded," Izuna said quietly.
"Yes." Hashirama did not believe in sugar-coating the truth.
"How many have to go?" Madara asked. "Can I talk to them?" Hashirama hummed in thought and leaned his chin on Izuna's shoulder. He looked at Tobirama who was watching Madara carefully. When he met Hashirama's gaze, he shrugged his shoulders and gave a small nod.
"A small group," Hashirama said with a smile. "They can pass it on to the rest. The daimyo has certain criteria."
"Childbearing age, attractive and able-bodied doesn't really narrow it down that much," Tobirama pointed out.
"You know how the Capital is, Tobi," Hashirama scolded him. "Able-bodied probably means without any obvious scars or amputations." Tobirama made a face and huffed.
"How many have to go?" Izuna asked, very quietly as if he was afraid of breaking into the conversation.
"The daimyo doesn't say," Hashirama said. He smoothed Izuna's hair away from his neck. He was definitely going to get Izuna to grow it longer. "He writes 'a reasonable entourage'. Give people a choice, I'm sure there are people who prefer going than staying here even if they go blind." There might be quite a few, those who thought that being in the Capital would be preferably to being under control of their ancestral enemies. Hashirama thought it would be even worse, but it wasn't his choice to make. Of course it was, but he could pretend otherwise. People were always so much more agreeable if they thought it was their own choice.
"Plan for ten," Tobirama said. "We can always say something about guards and travel time if the daimyo protests."
"Tōka is going to lead it, I think." Hashirama shrugged his shoulders when Tobirama raised an eyebrow at him. "She won't be nice, but she'll be fair." He knew the three concubines were listening to every word they said and it was only fair that Hashirama gave them warning. Tōka hated having the former Uchiha in their home, but she understood the need for it, and she wasn't one to be cruel for no reason. She was very like Tobirama in her pragmatic approach, though Hashirama's brother was a softer touch than her.
He fiddled with Izuna's hair, pulling it gently and braiding it with one hand as he watched Tobirama check Madara's seal. The other seal, designed for tracking and immobilisation if needed, was covered on his back, only visible to Tobirama and Hashirama. Izuna did not relax as time went on but there was a definite softening of the tension in his body as Hashirama did nothing more but twist Izuna's hair around his fingers.
"Don't you have work to do, Anija," Tobirama said, once he had finished examining the seal and had made notes on the small sheaf of papers he carried in his pocket. Hashirama had bought him so many nice scrolls and little books to write in and yet Tobirama scribbled his thoughts in that little scruff of a thing.
"I suppose so." Hashirama hugged Izuna to him. "Izuna can come with me."
"No," Tobirama said. "You'll only get distracted. Take Hikaku. Izuna can come with me and Madara when the others are told." Tobirama finished whatever he was writing notes and stashed it away in an inner pocket of his kimono. "Or he can stay here I suppose."
"I'll go with Aniki," Izuna said. "If I can." Madara's jaw clenched but he said nothing. Hashirama looked at him with interest. Madara had always been fun to fight against, almost matching Hashirama blow for blow. Now they were in the middle of a different fight, one that Madara seemed to realise Hashirama had already won, he just didn't want to admit it. The worst kind of stubborn.
"Okay, I suppose I'll go and do some work." Hashirama sighed.
"Do you need a list of what you need to look out with Hikaku?" Tobirama asked and Hashirama shook his head.
"No, I remember from Izuna's." He tapped Izuna's shoulder but ignored Izuna when he looked over his shoulder in question. "You'll remember that I'm first to test?" That got Tobirama rolling his eyes at Hashirama.
"Yes, I know, Anija. Better do it soon, the daimyo won't accept a 'maybe in the future'." It went without saying that daimyo would want a member of the main family but that could be forestalled if they were exclusively claimed already.
"Alright, alright." Hashirama hummed as he allowed Izuna to get up and set off to his office with Hikaku.
Work seemed to drag for Hashirama when he had the thought of his reward later that night. He kept an eye on Hikaku, as Tobirama had wanted, and found him so quiet that he almost faded into the background, even when he was in obvious pain. When Tobirama brought Madara and Izuna back, Madara very downcast and Izuna obviously worried about him, Hikaku seemed to perk up.
"How was it?" Hashirama asked Tobirama.
"Madara told the clan. They'll discuss it amongst themselves," Tobirama answered. Out of sight of the other three, he flashed a few signs at Hashirama. "Clan unhappy, blamed Madara." In the corner, Madara was brushing off Izuna's concern and Hikaku's questions. "How has Hikaku been?"
"In a lot of pain," Hashirama said. "More than Izuna's." Madara's had been the first seal, temperamental and difficult to refine at first, so it was better to measure it against the more successful one. Tobirama frowned and glanced at Hikaku. The man met Tobirama's eyes and then glanced away.
"I'll keep an eye on him." Hashirama moved his finished paperwork across the desk, under Tobirama's eye. He knew his brother liked to look things over. He didn't mind, no matter what kind of judgemental looks he got from the Elders. If Tobirama schemed against him, Hashirama could only think he would have a very good reason for it. "I think you've done enough," Tobirama said. When Hashirama perked up, a small smile flicked across his brother's face. "Food first and then you can take him."
"Can we eat in our room?" Izuna asked. Hashirama didn't want him to leave his sight, but Tobirama gave him a considering look and then nodded.
"A clone will bring you your food." Tobirama waved them off and the three of them left, Izuna supporting Hikaku as he did so. Hashirama was sad to see them go, but he also relished the chance to talk to his brother on his own.
"The clan blames Madara for the daimyo's decision?" That didn't make sense, even when Hashirama had to consider the former Uchiha's pride.
"Not so much. It's more that they're angry at the situation in general and Madara is one they're allowed to blame." Tobirama shrugged. "It will only pull him closer to Hikaku and Izuna and further away from the rest of his former clan."
"Less likely to stir up a rebellion," Hashirama said. "But you still gave them time alone. Aren't you getting soft." He ruffled his brother's hair and laughed as Tobirama swat him away.
"My clone is listening next door," Tobirama said and then Hashirama laughed for real. That was more like his brother.
Later that night, Izuna was sprawled across his bed, his pupils blown wide with the drugs he had been given and Hashirama rejoiced in his little brother's genius. Under the both of them, the Senju wouldn't just survive but thrive.