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Izuna's body is caked in blood as he trudges through the halls of the ANBU headquarters, each step leaving a bloody print behind in his wake.
There's a certain kind of haunted look about himself that he manages to keep at bay till he's in the building. All ANBU have it to some degree, hence the need for their own building. It doesn't do well to worry the civilians and even the jōnin of the village. They slip in and out through a special gate, never seen, never known it's better that way.
Izuna's always taken the grittier missions, the ones he doesn't want to subject others to, the ones that leave him with flashbacks of the wars they fought to get here. He doesn't mind, not all that much.
Dragging himself to his assigned locker, Izuna leans heavily against it and starts to strip himself of his clothes. It's a process that always brings him back to himself, shedding the layers of ANBU uniform from his body.
By the time he's finished with his clothes Tobirama is there. It's another part of their ritual, another element that helps to ground Izuna and bring him back to himself. Tobirama is never too busy to meet him here, to guide him with gentle hands to the bath.
Sometimes they talk about the mission, sometimes they don't. Either way Izuna will make his full report tomorrow, putting pen to paper to write out the details before they're sealed away like all ANBU reports are.
Today is different. Tobirama doesn't guide him to the communal bath but instead collects Izuna in his arms and raijins them back to his place. Izuna certainly isn't going to complain, but he knows it's an indicator of how badly he looks this time.
"That bad, huh?" He mutters, looking up at Tobirama from a few strands of blood matted hair.
"I thought you'd be more comfortable here," Tobirama shrugs and settles Izuna on a stool in his private baths.
That's one thing, of many, Izuna loves about Tobirama. The mans love of a good private bath is unmatched by anyone he knows. Izuna's reaped the benefits of said privacy on more than a few occasions now too.
The room fills quickly with steam from the heated water and it's only when Tobirama starts to rinse him that Izuna becomes aware of how much blood is sticking to his body. It takes a few minutes but eventually he's clean enough to sink into the tub of hot water, careful to leave his still dirty hair out of it.
Tobirama settles behind him and helps to tip his head back over the edge. Water wets his hair and Izuna closes his eyes.
This act of care is personal on a deeper level than Izuna will ever admit. He's Uchiha and there are rules that govern much of what they do with their eyes. Izuna's known the rules since he was old enough to start talking. Granny Cat had drilled them into his head during his training. Uchiha don't wear paint around their eyes, Uchiha don't let doctors outside of the clan give them vision checks, Uchiha don't let others cut their or wash their hair.
Tobirama picks that moment of thought to press his hand to Izuna's scalp, massaging shampoo through his hair.
It's a vulnerable position to put oneself in and Tobirama was an enemy long before he was a friend, long before he was much more than that. But Izuna trusts him with this, with this part of the ritual that brings him back to himself.
Water washes away the suds of shampoo and Tobirama's fingers work through a few remaining tangles. As he works Izuna relaxes more, sinking so deep into the water it's nearly up to his eyes. He feels more himself now than before. His mission is behind him and the longer he stays in the water the further away it gets.
By the time Tobirama has finished with his hair, Izuna feels more himself than he has all week and he finally sits a little higher in the water to tip his head back, a lazy smile settles across his lips.
"Thank you," he says.
Tobirama leans over him and kisses his forehead and then his eyes. This too is an act of care he'll only allow Tobirama, a touch he can't imagine letting anyone else have.
When he's dried off they settle into bed together, neither bothering with clothes. They won't do anything more tonight but this. Izuna needs touch but not like that. Instead they'll lay tightly entwined with each other, Tobirama's hand soothing along Izuna's side till he drifts off to sleep. He'll keep watch through the night, Izuna knows he will. If he wakes from a nightmare Tobirama will be there, awake and comforting.
It's all part of their ritual, Izuna tells himself.
And if it's becoming something more, then that's ok too.