Chapter Text
He never thought he’d ever see his brother again. He’d never even dared to whisper it in the darkest corners of his mind, how ludicrous and unlikely it was.
Naturally, one would think that Tobirama was referring to Hashirama, Kawarama or Itama, when he mentioned the word ‘brother’.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the birds were chirping, and the smell of spring wafted gently on the breeze that ruffled their hair. All four of them had a rare free day off from training and other responsibilities. As it was such a nice day, they decided to spend it playing outside. Tobirama was sitting on the edge of the engawa overlooking the garden, toes curled in the grass. He watched as the other Senju siblings played in the sunlight. Hashirama was wriggling with the wind just like the flowers he was standing in, and Kawarama and Itama were crouched, muttering and pointing while inspecting what looked to be an insect.
It had been about ten years since Tobirama had been born. Again. He had never been overly religious or believed in reincarnation, really, so it was a big shock indeed when he finally found his bearings.
This time around, he had two younger brothers...and an older brother. It was quite the novel experience being a younger child. Indeed, this time around, he wasn’t the one getting scolded for not being a good example for the younger kids. That, and he was mentally older and more mature. Tobirama had to admit that it was probably the major contributing factor between the two.
Life was… Well, he couldn’t exactly say it was good. He was born into wartime. His first cry rent the air as his kinsmen died on a battlefield far away.
Tobirama’s world was ridiculously small compared to what he left behind, when he’d once had a different name. His life was divided into training, missions (thankfully low level for now), studies, and spare time - rare as it was. But all of it took place within the Senju walls or with his Senju kinsman. Life was...insular.
He missed living in a diverse and vibrant world. He’d just gotten a NASA internship and part of it required that it be done in America. Pity, he’d been looking forward to it too.
More than that, he missed the bustling cities of his home with people flooding the streets and the eternal sound of traffic that one couldn’t escape - the constant activity. The places where people from all over the world congregated… And the food. What he wouldn’t give for some tamales, curry laksa or even some good old-fashioned pizza.
But aside from the whole child soldiers, hired mercenaries and murder thing, life was fairly good.
...Now he’d spoiled his mood.
Sighing morosely, he watched Hashirama flop on the ground, the grass depressing beneath his weight. His older brother let out the air in his lungs in one great ‘whoomp’ , groaning as Kawarama and Itama jumped on his back. They scrambled into a comfortable position (eliciting more groans and an almost inaudible whimper for help in Tobirama’s direction, which was summarily ignored), and announced their supremacy over Hashirama.
As his younger brothers crowed their victory, a smile reluctantly found its way onto Tobirama’s lips.
No matter the world he was in or what life he was living, Tobirama had always treasured family. It was cheesy, but it was true: family would always be there for you, support you, and love you no matter what. There were no conditions, no bargains or petitions. It was just there. An undeniable, unshakeable fact of life.
Although, he supposed, he had to admit that his experience of family was luckier than most.
Family would always be held close to his heart and he would give anything for them, even his life.
And he had. Tobirama never regretted it. He could recognise that from a certain angle, it was also a somewhat selfish decision. He could weather any storm, face any problem as long as he had his family at his back. He wouldn’t, no, he couldn’t live in a world without his family. He couldn’t be the one left behind.
Tobirama’s thoughts turned back to the hazy half-remembered recollections from Before. He had...he had had siblings then too. He was the eldest, and then there were the twins.
His brother… Darren. He was a clever and a charismatic talker, with a sharp wit and keen mind, perfect for his choice of careers. Tobirama closed his eyes. He’d remembered that he’d been studying to become a lawyer. As a child, he’d sit on the floor in front of the TV, enthralled by the verbal smackdowns and manipulations from sharp-tongues lawyers in old re-runs. He loved how the best lawyers could sneakily make the opposing attorney or the plaintiff and defendant admit to something they’d have preferred to have stayed in the shadows.
His...his sister, her name was Hailey . She’d been doing Medicine at University and was so compassionate, considerate, and kind . When she was just learning to read and stumbling over her letters, she’d found a copy of the Hippocratic Oath, and from then on, those words had governed her actions. Her whole life she was always looking for an opportunity to assist somebody - anything from volunteering, dropping spare change in a homeless person’s cup, or driving two hours to pick up a drunk friend at 3am in the morning.
Sometimes, when flashes of shared laughter at inside jokes their parents weren’t privy to, sing-a-longs on road trips, or sibling dog piles, went through his mind like a kunai in his shoulder (he knew firsthand what it felt like...in excruciating detail), he would find it a struggle to breathe.
“Ehh?” Kawarama’s shout brought him out of his darkening thoughts, “Tobirama-anija, what are you still doing over there?”
“Come join us!” Itama chirped, clapping his grass-stained hands together.
That’s right, they were there too. Although his first siblings had left a hole in his heart, Tobirama had to remind himself that Hashirama, Kawarama and Itama were there. They were still family, just a little different now.
His brothers’ shouts had Hashirama turning his head to also see Tobirama was still sitting on the engawa.
“Please?” Hashirama’s eyes were wide and guileless.
Tobirama felt his willpower crumble and nodded, pushing himself off the engawa to pad barefoot in the grass towards his siblings. After all, he had three living brothers just waiting from him to join them.
The sound of giggles, squeals and high-pitched peals of heartfelt laughter echoed in the fading daylight.