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Being an Elder is exhausting.
Being an Elder during a time of peace, where one must make nice with ancestral enemies because one's grandson decided to be a peace loving idiot? Downright debilitating at times.
Still, for all the trials and tribulations Izuna has faced in his long, long life he is glad to see peace come about, even if that means sharing a village with the Senju. Particularly Elder Tobirama.
How either of them managed to exit the battlefield with minor injuries instead of as corpses will forever surprise him, but he supposes the future is all the more bright for it. He’s lost his son, but his grandson, Tajima, has ushered in a new era of peace alongside his Senju counterpart, Butsuma Senju. His other grandson has solidified the peace with his marriage to Himiko, Butsuma’s younger sister, and now Izuna is blessed to have a great-grandchild, with another on the way!
And how cute was his little Ren-chan? With his black curls and cute button nose?
So, as tiring as seeing Tobirama’s foul, loathsome little face is, he supposes peace isn’t the worst outcome. That, or he’s finally grown senile.
Watching his grandson look smitten with his wife, a chubby cheeked Ren-chan in his arms, is…dare Izuna say nice. It’s also nice knowing his great-grandson will have less chances of growing up without his father. After all, the life expectancy after the ceasefire has climbed tremendously.
“You know, you could put yourself back out there, instead of glaring at every happy couple?”
Izuna looks to his side in time to see his other grandson take a seat down next to him on the engawa. Smug little shit. He can’t believe his late daughter-in-law gave birth to such a snarky little weasel. “Are you saying I need to get laid?” He sneers.
Tajima shrugs. “If the shoe fits.”
“What’s all this about Elder Izuna getting laid?” Himiko asks, approaching the two as Takeshi trails behind like a love-sick puppy. Disgusting. They’ve been married for barely three years and he’s already so infatuated? With a Senju? Izuna cries for his bloodline. At least Ren-chan is cute. Izuna will make sure he is so spoiled.
“You know, back in my day, you’d never get away with talking about an elder’s sex life.” Izuna mutters. To their face at least.
Himiko grins, an evil spark in her eye. “Well, you were complaining the other day about how nice it’d be to have someone to take care of your special needs.”
“Yeah? Unless you found someone who’d be interested, I’m not listening.” He grumbles, hoping to detract her from continuing the conversation.
Instead, the witch smirks. “Well, I believe Tobi-oji might be in the market.”
Izuna pauses his grumbling to examine her warily. “Tobirama? Thee Tobirama of the Senju? Is looking for someone to roll in the sheets with?”
Himiko rolls her eyes, a slight frown on her face. “I wouldn’t approach him with that wording, but yes. Besides, it might help calm him down in meetings as such.”
“That’d be nice.” Tajima mutters.
Izuna leans back a bit and thinks. Could he really do it? Go out and seduce his rival after so many years? That grouchy, crotchety, ill-mannered, know-it-all, asshole, with amazing eyes? Fuck it, he’s not getting any younger is he? “Why not? If it gets me laid and helps the prissy bastard relax, can’t be too bad of an idea. Now, help me up,” he grumbles, smacking his grandson’s shoulder. “I have to find my fancy kimono. And maybe a hairbrush.”
Tajima rolls his eyes, but as his favorite grandson, he does as he’s told and helps him to his quarters to get ready for his first attempt at seducing Tobirama Senju.
Izuna originally planned to make himself known to his old rival. After all, he is still a man of some dignity. He’s not going to throw himself at the man’s feet or proposition him in a public setting and risk embarrassing himself.
When he spots Tobirama in the Hokage’s Tower head staring down at some documents, unaware of his surroundings, he pivots towards him. He’s fully intent on simply saying a simple hello, maybe some light flirtation, just to test the waters. Or to simply piss him off. Both really work for him, honestly.
Instead, what happens is that Izuna places his bad foot on an uneven part of the flooring in the tower, just as Tobirama is passing him, causing him to trip. Out of habit, Tobirama reaches out a hand to steady him, dropping all the documents he had.
Both of them curse.
“I’m sorry, Senju-sama, I didn’t see the step.” He starts, genuinely feeling bad at his misstep.
Tobirama shakes his head. “No need to apologze, Uchiha-sama. I’ve been asking them to fix some of the halls for a while now for more of our seniors members. I can put in another request so this does not happen again.”
The warmth of Tobirama's hand around his arm is nice. How much nicer would it feel elsewhere on his body? On his cheek? His neck? His chest? Sage, when was the last time he’s had anyone touch him if this is enough to get him thinking?
Izuna clears his throat, leaning on his cane. “Let me help pick those up.”
Again, Tobirama shakes his head. “No, it’s not necessary.” He says, a quick glance to his cane. “I can get these myself. No need to worry yourself.”
Normally that would piss him off. But, then he gets treated to the sight of Tobirama on one knee gathering up the scattered documents and thinks the view from where he’s at is mighty fine. “It’s been a while. You’re looking very well, Senju.” He croons, letting his eyes linger on the curve to Tobirama’s back. “Very well.”
His old rival tenses slightly. “Yes, um, thank you. You too.” He responds stiffly. The papers are gathered and he slowly lifts himself off the ground and Izuna offers his arm out for support.
Tobirama looks at it for a moment, before sighing and taking the offered hand.
“Thank you.” He whispers, a delicious red dusting his cheeks.
He hadn’t known a man like Tobirama Senju could blush at all, much less still retain such an adorable flush at his age. Even with the wrinkles and crows feet, it gave him such a lively expression. It made Izuna want to eat him alive. “You know Senju, Tajima has been talking my ear off about this Academy and I wanted to get your opinion on it. Perhaps over dinner sometime?”
“Dinner?” The man parrots, almost as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing. Which he supposes given their age is an appropriate assumption to make. After all, Izuna’s hearing is certainly not what it once was.
“Yes. Dinner. To discuss the Academy.” Izuna repeats, slower, voice deeper. He still has Tobirama’s hand in his and he swears he can feel the man trembling slightly in his grasp. Could he be nervous?
“I can’t.” He says, finally, all but ripping his hand out of Izuna’s. “I—just leave a proposal on my desk. I have a lot of work this week and next.”
Then he’s running away.
Well, not running. Neither of them can quite run anymore. They walk at varying speeds, but never run.
Yet, as Izuna watches Tobirama’s retreating form he can’t help but smirk. He might have thought of testing the waters but that small glimpse has left him starving for the man. Maybe he has denied himself human connection for too long if the sight of Tobirama blushing prettily and trembling in his hands is enough to make him want to hunt him down like the good old days.
Tobirama is not thinking about it. He’s not, Anija stop smirking at him. It’s just that, ever since that chance encounter in the hallway with his old battlefield rival, it’s as if Izuna has been showing up everywhere.
He’s not blind…well, now he’s more or less blind, but back then he could still see and what he saw was…well Izuna has always been pretty. Handsome. Gorgeous even, with his long silky hair and soft features and dark eyes.
And, his voice…Tobirama used to hate himself for the nights he dreamt of that voice. Of how many times he just wanted to let himself just act out once and just ignore the war, ignore the stupidity of the feud and just try something.
He thought, at one point, maybe, Izuna had thought the same way. There was something there, something tangible, something real, something he could reach out and touch with his own two hands and hold tightly to his chest and keep safe.
Maybe there was.
But both of them were cowards. And so the war continued. They grew old, got married to women. While he and Hana never had children of their own, Izuna did. And now their wives were gone and Izuna and he were still here, and he was…
Oh sage.
“I don’t see what the problem is,” Mito sighs, “you find him attractive. He clearly finds you attractive. And it’s just for dinner. You don’t have to commit to anything.”
Tobirama whines. Of course he would. This is Izuna Uchiha they’re talking about. How would he be able to say no once he’s been sucked into his web? He knows that, and so does Izuna. Once he gave in, Tobirama would never be able to deny him ever again. He'd keep going back, again and again.
“I don’t know, Aneja. I haven’t been in a romantic setting in so long. Even when I was with Hana I wasn’t very romantic, you remember.”
Mito puts one of her wizened hands on top of his. “And she loved you as you were, just like you loved her even when the elders told you to leave her once it became apparent she was infertile. Love is different for everyone, it gets expressed differently. Other people bring out other sides of us. Maybe just give him a chance.”
Tobirama sighs, already defeated. “Maybe.”
It escalates like this. Izuna, after weeks of randomly appearing in the same places Tobirama was with offers to talk about this initiative or that proposal over dinner or lunch, or a simple walk around the tower, finally corners him in his grandson’s office.
“What the hell are you doing, Uchiha?”
Izuna scoffs, shutting the door. “Well, let’s see. I’ve tried for multiple weeks now to invite you to dinner and lunch, all of which you have denied because you were so busy. Then I offered to help with the workload, you also said I could not. Then I offered a simple walk around the tower, which you could also not spare the time for. Honestly, I’m starting to think you just don’t want to spend any time with me.”
His rival, the cranky old shit, slaps the documents he had in his hand and stares at him with an incredulous expression. “How astute of you, Uchiha. No wonder you’ve survived as long as you have, what with that big brain of yours.”
Frustrated with the lack of response, Izuna decides enough is enough and smacks the man in his thigh with the bottom of his cane. Tobirama winces, bending down to rub at his thigh and Izuna grabs the man by the kimono lapel.
And then, finally, finally, his lips are on Tobirama’s.
They are dry, the skin of his cheek seems almost papery thin under his thumb, but Izuna presses forward, grinning into the kiss when Tobirama makes a whining sound, before he opens up.
Fuck, kissing Tobirama is…amazing.
Even after all these years, the man is truly still his equal.
He’s missed this. Sex is fun of course, always has been, but the intimacy of holding another living being in his arms, tasting them, feeling their blood pumping beneath his finger tips, feeling them moving against his body like how Tobirama is rolling his hips against his right now, despite how shaky his hands feel pawing at his chest, unsure where they go.
It’s heavenly.
He breaks away to trail kisses down Tobirama’s jaw, until he can attack the soft spot just under his earlobe. He gets a sweet, sweet whine for his efforts.
“Izuna,” Tobirama keens, trembling hands pulling him closer. “We have to stop. What if Tajima gets back?”
Honestly, he doesn’t care. He can’t begin to count the amount of times he’s caught his grandsons in compromising positions. The fucking hellions. They can deal with walking in on him this one time.
Of course, he doesn’t take into account that other people might be stopping by either.
“Yo, Tajima, have you seen—Holy Shit!”
Both men freeze for a second, before Tobirama is pushing him off. Izuna catches his balance with his cane and shoots the Senju an offended look.
Butsuma Senju looks thirteen different shades of pink and red, which is quite impressive, if Tobirama wasn’t trying to compete with his nephew.
“I am so sorry for disturbing you Uncle Bira, Elder Izuna. I’ll just—I’ll be—bye.” And promptly slams the door shut.
Both men stare at the door in silence for a while before Tobirama glares at him. “I hate you.”
“Does that mean no to dinner? Or no to lunch?”
Tobirama groans. “What are you trying to achieve here?”
Izuna sighs. “I’m just asking for dinner, Tobirama. Not a lifetime commitment. If you don’t like it, if it’s too much, we don’t have to repeat it. But I think I deserve at least a chance. Especially after traumatizing your nephew.”
His rival scoffs. “Please. I’ve changed enough of his diapers. If he ever walks in while you have your dick in my ass, then we’ll be even.”
Smirking, Izuna wiggles his eyebrows. “So you have given us some thought.”
“Have I mentioned how much I hate you?”
“Maybe once or twice.”
Rolling his eyes, Tobirama begins making his way to the door. He pauses when he notices Izuna has not moved. He turns back to stare at the man with an expectant expression. “Well, let’s get going. You have a meal to buy me.”
Izuna smiles. “Sure do.”
Tobirama waits for him to catch up and once he’s there they both exit Tajima’s office with their heads held high, arguing about where exactly Izuna will be taking the both of them for dinner. By tomorrow he has no doubts everyone in the administrative tower will be aware of their upgraded relationship, and his family and Tobirama’s will want to know all the sordid details.
But tonight he will focus on seeing if he can get Tobirama to try inarizushi and some plum wine. Maybe even whine his name like he had moments early.
Being an Elder was exhausting, but at least he’d get to be an Elder at the same time as Tobirama and peace. And that was a blessing.