Work Text:
Tobirama squints at the spreadsheet through his reading glasses, trying to figure out exactly what Kakashi has done to this account.
Somewhere in the last six months, the previously exemplary work of his second in command has been developing some suspiciously familiar problems and he knows that if he doesn't nip this problem in the bud then Anija will have to step in... and no one wants that. He still has hope that things won't need to go that far, but the likelihood of brotherly intervention increases with every day that passes.
"You're frowning again." Metal clinks as Izuna disassembles yet another gun before picking up a brush and dipping it in solvent. "Problems?"
"Not yet." Tobirama types rapidly, changing the formulas, hoping the discrepancy will resolve itself. "But... possibly."
"That's not good." It's a statement of the obvious, something they both know, but Izuna doesn't say anything more, instead beginning to whistle tunelessly as he goes back to cleaning his guns. It's soothing - a sound that Izuna only makes here, in their own home, it signals safety and Tobirama can feel the tension leaking out of his shoulders even as he sighs with resignation. He's going to have to talk to Kakashi about this, and if the younger man doesn't have good answers for him... well.
Then it will be someone else's turn to ask the questions.
And with quite different consequences.
The locks on the front door click and the sound of leather shoes on the polished wooden boards can be heard.
"We're in here, nii-san!" Izuna sings out cheerfully, though the reassembled gun in his hand swings to point at the door and Tobirama snaps his laptop shut. It's only paranoia if they aren't out to get you after all, and there's no such thing as being too careful.
"Hey." Madara sticks his head through the open door of the library and Izuna puts the gun down again. "Have you two eaten?"
"Nope." Izuna sticks his tongue out at Anija's disapproving tutting. "We wanted your leftovers."
"Brats." Madara presses a kiss to his forehead and Izuna preens under the affection which he can't publicly receive. "Steak okay?"
"More than okay." Tobirama pushes his laptop away and takes off his glasses, rubbing at his temples. "I'm starving."
"Headache?" Strong fingers push his head forward and Tobirama groans with relief as he feels them go to work on the knotted muscles of his neck. "Oh, you are tight."
"How was dinner, Anija?" He lets the innuendo slide past, preferring to ask the important questions instead. "Any trouble?"
There almost always is, after all, especially when his brother and Madara go out together. They were well known even before they ascended to the heads of their clans, and with the way their very public relationship has led to the merger of both crime families... well.
There are eyes upon them always, and usually unfriendly ones.
"It went fine!" Anija's voice is breezily unconcerned, excessively so, and Tobirama looks up to see a mischievous grin. "Madara paid for dinner... and not just for us."
Oh no.
Tobirama glares at the man in question, but Madara only smirks. "They were sitting right next to us, and their budget clearly didn't stretch to lobster. Missing that was a crime, and I should know - I was doing them a favour."
Argh.
First Kakashi, and now this.
Tobirama honestly doesn't know which is worse and he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Can you not taunt the cops?"
"No." Madara bares his teeth and no one would ever mistake it for a smile. "If they want to arrest me, they need to try harder."
Izuna chortles gleefully, amused as always by the cat and mouse games which can only be played with the police, and Tobirama stands up, heading to the kitchen.
"You did agree to date us," Anija calls after him. "It was your choice!"
"And there are days when I wonder why!" Tobirama yells back, pulling a can of coke out of the fridge.
Steak and caffeine can't solve all of his problems but, right now, they look like a damn good start.