Chapter Text
“Pretty!” Was the first thing his husband-to-be said when he set eyes on him. Tobirama was so surprised at the dissonance between that deep voice and yet childish tone that he stared back at the man, eyes wide.
Madara was a handsome man, Tobirama noticed immediately. His jaw was strong and hair wild but not messy, his eyes a deep shade of charcoal that seemed like they would spark and burn any minute. His body was wider than Tobirama's own lithe shape, Tobirama could already imagine how Madara would swallow him up in his embrace, warm with the Uchiha fire chakra.
Tobirama tore his eyes away from the widely smiling man, so similar to the way Hashirama grins and yet so different behind the reasons. Tajima-sama stood beside his son, observing their first meeting. Tobirama bowed low to both of them, “Greetings, Tajima-sama, Madara-san.”
Hashirama gave his own greetings beside him with much more enthusiasm, despite the circumstances. Hashirama was not happy at the arrangement and had quite literally killed their father for it. But the contract was signed and blood had been pressed into paper, there was nothing they could do to back out now.
“I am sorry to hear about your father.” Tajima said. Tobirama does not hear any sincerity in it but he doesn't point it out. None of them were sorry about Butsuma's death. Tobirama would even say he and Anija were over the moon about it.
Hashirama hummed in acknowledgement, neither agreeing or disagreeing.
“Madara, this is Tobirama-san, he will be your partner once the vows are spoken before Amaterasu-omikami. Did you remember when we talked about it?” Tajima-sama’s voice visibly softened when speaking to his son but there are no traces of condescension. It doesn't take much for Tobirama to understand that Madara was loved in this household despite his shortcomings. He tried not to feel bitter about it and fails.
Madara tilted his head, the hair blocking one side of his face following gravity and spills aside, exposing his other charcoal grey eye. “Zuna there? Tou-san there?”
“Yes, Madara, your brother and I will both be there with you.” Tajima said with a little smile gracing his lips when Madara smiled back and nodded.
At the mention of Izuna's name Tobirama has to force himself not to react. That's right, he may be married to Madara but Izuna would become his brother-in-law, his future clan head. The man that loathed him, would spit in his face if their new found peace would allow for it. Tobirama had no misgivings about his future, he would be a caretaker for Madara, and an outlet for Izuna. There are more ways to hurt than physical after all, and Tobirama was familiar with many of them. But at least there would be peace for his clan and his nieces and nephew, for this alone he would willingly walk to his end.
“Pretty mine?”
That jolted Tobirama out of his musings again. His name was Tobirama, not pretty, he wanted to say but Madara was looking at him with such bright eyes, like he wanted to take Tobirama into his hands and not let go.
Tobirama tried to smile at this man who was innocent like a boy, “Yes, then I will be yours.”
“Hehe.” Madara looked greatly satisfied. Perhaps he does not even know what it means to be married, to have a spouse, only that someone would be with him for the rest of his life. Tobirama thought, perhaps being with Madara would not be so bad, it would be like taking care of the children of the clan again, living in their innocent world before blood and duty shattered it.
The ceremony had been as nerve wrecking as Tobirama assumed it would be, and it was only seeing the mindless joy in Madara's face that gave Tobirama any sense of comfort. At least, someone in his new clan would like him, even if Madara was not all there.
Madara had fidgeted in his montsuki, shifting around while they knelt until Tobirama placed a hand as gently as one as bloodstained as his could be onto Madara's, then only did his new husband calm down enough to finish the ceremony without much obvious discomfort. He must not have liked being so still, as children were wont to do.
There was no consummation, which Tobirama was immensely grateful for, he couldn't imagine giving his first time to a complete stranger much less one who wouldn't be able to fully understand what they were doing and how much it would hurt for Tobirama if Madara blindly chased his own pleasure. Just thinking about it made him shudder.
Tobirama was moved into the main house together with the clan head and his family. He doesn't share a room with Madara though, which Tobirama was surprised at. Tajima had explained that Madara liked to have his privacy when he slept and he was self-sufficient enough that he didn't actually need someone to wait on him all the time. Which led Tobirama to wonder what he was actually supposed to do in regards to Madara.
For now, he went along with whatever it was that Madara asked of him. Madara often asked him to take walks in the compound together, visiting with his cousins and friends who fed him his favourite inarizushi and wagashi. They were wary of Tobirama, but perhaps seeing the way Madara behaved so happily with him helped them to reconcile the fact that they were really at peace with the Senju, and that Tobirama's presence beside Madara was the biggest representation of that.
Dinner with his new family was… an event. Tajima and his wife sat beside each other, with Izuna and Madara opposite them, leaving Tobirama to sit at the end of the table beside Madara. Even when his father had been alive, Tobirama had rarely taken meals as a family. At most he ate with Anija and Touka if they were eating at the same time, but otherwise meals were had alone while he read some scroll or another.
His table manners were passable, at least they were no worse than Madara's which was saying quite a lot actually, as Madara had good table manners. It was obvious how loved Madara was amongst his family, the care that has been given to him showed nothing less.
Izuna was perhaps the one with worse table manners, with the way he kept glaring at Tobirama. Tobirama would not, and could not, rise to the bait. Despite being married into the main family, his position here was still tenuous, any wrong moves would reflect badly on the Senju as a whole. Curse his father for his illogical contract, even in death Tobirama couldn't escape his father.
Miyuki, Tajima's wife and mother of his sons, was kind. Surprisingly so, considering the animosity between their clans. Tajima was kind in spite of the circumstances, but Miyuki was kind because of the circumstances. She understood what it meant to leave your family and have to immerse yourself so thoroughly in a new environment and with the people. She was from a commoner family of the Uchiha, and had never expected she would grow up to marry into the main family.
“Tobirama-kun, you may call me kaa-san just like Madara does, if you wish.” Miyuki had said the first time Tobirama had met her.
Tobirama had frozen on the spot, and only Madara's happy clapping seemed to have brought him out of it to stutter out the greeting that she wanted from him. It had been a long time since he had anyone to call mother.
Like this, Tobirama could even imagine the rest of his life. There would be no more fighting, at least not on the battlefield. He could spend his days idly by Madara's side, finding solace when he was either alone or with Madara.
Sitting out at the engawa at night before bed, Madara's head cushioned on his lap. Tobirama read, and at the request of Madara, read aloud as they both relaxed from a long day. Tobirama was content to stay with Madara like this, just the two of them, running his fingers over Madara's dark hair from root to tip as the man snuggles himself further against Tobirama.
“I guess it is a good life to be born stupid, to never know that you were born wrong, unwanted, just a pawn to be used and abused as your father wished.” Tobirama mused as he watched Madara pick at the plate of inari zushi in front of him, smiling widely at his favourite meal. He poured the tea out for Madara, steeped the way Tobirama liked it. Madara took a sip only to immediately spit it back out, “Blegh!”
Tobirama frowned, but said nothing and pulled his silk napkin out to wipe at Madara's chin. “I apologise, husband, I will prepare the tea more to your liking next time.”
Madara smiled at him, “Tobi ok.” He said.
Tobirama hummed, ok indeed.
“Mada not stupid.”
“You're right,” Tobirama smiled ruefully, “The stupid one is me.”
“No!” Madara disagreed, abandoning his sushi and tea in favour of holding onto Tobirama's hands. “Tobi not stupid!”
Tobirama felt a genuine smile tug at his lips, “You're the only one who thinks so, Madara.”
Madara pouted at him, lips jutting out like a toddler except on a grown man it was hilarious even if Tobirama admitted that it looked cute. Tobirama ran a hand over Madara's hair like he was soothing his angry spikes and that calmed Madara down enough that Tobirama only had to nudge his plate forward for Madara to go back to having his tea.
Madara was born stupid and that was ok for him. Tobirama was stupid for ever thinking his life could amount to anything; that all his research, his battle prowess, his inventions, could ever see the light of day. He was an idiot for hoping.
“Sometimes I'm jealous of you, my husband.” Tobirama said as he's carding his fingers gently through Madara's hair, the man laid content in his lap. “You are so loved by your family despite being so useless.”
Madara doesn't answer and Tobirama never expected him to, he continued on his own.
“I thought that giving my all would have given me some regard from my father, but I guess he was right in some ways, love is just not something I deserve.”
“Mada loves Tobi.” Madara spoke up from his lap, wiggling around so he could stare Tobirama in the eyes. “Mada loves Tobi!” He insisted.
Tobirama was broken out of his melancholy with such simple words, he couldn't help but smile at the man pillowed in his lap. “Yes, you do, don't you?”
Madara nodded seriously, lips splitting into a grin when Tobirama smiled.
“I love you too, Madara. Thank you for loving me.” Tobirama leaned down to nuzzle his cheek against Madara's, the man giggled and nuzzled right back.
“Settling in well, demon?”
Tobirama side eyed Izuna, not even bothering to get up from his perch beside the koi pond. He chose to stay silent from the obvious taunt, just because he has to keep the peace doesn't mean he has to be polite about it. If Izuna chose to speak nonsense then Tobirama had no reason to respond.
“What? So amazed at the greatness of the Uchiha that you can't speak?”
Tobirama refrained from rolling his eyes, from all the years of fighting Izuna, he had never pegged him for such a boastful person. Over confident perhaps, but never so blatantly boastful of his clan and his prowess. It was distasteful to say the least.
The air around them seemed to fizzle with heat as Izuna's frustration grew. Tobirama stood, deciding that now was a good time to leave lest Izuna actually try to put their peace treaty to the test.
Tobirama nodded at Izuna shortly before turning to leave, only to have a hand gripped tightly around his wrist pulling him back. It had taken every ounce of his self control to not lash out at Izuna, years of battle honed reflexes being pushed down in favour of forcibly relaxing his tensing muscles.
“Hey! I'm not done talking to you!”
Tobirama took a deep breath and counted to ten before turning to Izuna, plastering the most pleasant smile he could muster, “Yes, Izuna-san?”
Izuna actually honest to gods growled at him, “Don't give me that face. I know what you're doing, and when I find out what you're plotting with that brother of yours, I'll slit your throat before you can even scream.”
Tobirama maintained his smile, waiting for Izuna to continue and once it was obvious that he was done, “Is that all, Izuna-san?”
Izuna's eyes flashed red and Tobirama had his eyes averted before he even blinked, a response against the Sharingan that was carved deep into his bones. Izuna smirked at the perceived upper hand then released his grip on Tobirama, “That is all, you may leave.”
Refusing to rise to the bait, Tobirama left without a backward glance. For all his posturing, Izuna could not harm him physically as long as Tobirama abided by peace. Tobirama has already come to terms with his life beside Madara, he won't let something as silly as Izuna's power play destroy the hard won peace that they have right now.
Madara was having tea with his lovely husband when he saw it. A ring of bruises around Tobirama's left wrist, in the very distinct shape of fingers. He gasped loudly, dropping his half eaten wagashi to pick up Tobirama's hand and fret over it.
“Tobi hurt!” He whined, looking up from the purpling bruise to Tobirama's face.
Tobirama grimaced and Madara knew it was not from pain, this little bruise was nothing compared to the injuries that shinobi deal with on the daily. Tobirama was disturbed by the fact that Madara has seen this injury at all, which meant that this might not even be the first one that he's received.
“Who? Who hurt my Tobi?” Madara asked, tears near springing to his eyes. He doesn't even have to really force them out, he felt like crying just from the fact that someone from his clan had been hurting his lovely husband when they were supposed to have peace.
“It's ok, Madara, it doesn't hurt.” Tobirama tried to pull his hand back but Madara held fast. He would be a truly useless husband if he let Tobirama suffer his family alone, Madara must get to the bottom of this.
Madara gently brought Tobirama's wrist up to lips, kissing the bruised skin. “Mada kiss it better?”
Tobirama's grimace finally turned into a smile, he chuckled, “Thank you Madara, it feels better already.”
Madara waited until Tobirama had let down his guard before he continued his questioning, “Bad people hurt Tobi?”
“He's not exactly bad.” Tobirama replied immediately.
Madara grinned inwardly, Tobirama had always had a looser lip around him thinking Madara was unlikely to understand him fully. For Tobirama to say someone hurting him was not exactly bad, it could only be someone important, which left only one culprit. But this was not something he could confirm with Tobirama, Madara was not supposed to have such higher reasoning abilities.
“Hurt Tobi, bad!” Was all Madara could say in front of his beloved husband. He brushed his lips one last time over the bruise then brought that hand up to nuzzle under his cheek gently. Tobirama would never deny Madara when he wanted to touch him or hold him or cuddle, that was just how sweet his husband was.
“Yes, yes. But I have Madara to make me feel better, don't I?” A sweet talker he was, Madara's husband. Madara grinned.
Tobirama had deep bags under his eyes, he's obviously tired even as he recited the fairytale softly to Madara on the engawa. Madara wasn't focused on the story at all, he was spending the entire time staring at Tobirama's beautiful face and listening to the deep cadences of his lovely voice.
Which was how he knew that Tobirama was exhausted mentally, as he was every time Madara asked him if he was ok. Every time Tobirama had the same answer, “I will be fine.” Not that he was fine, only that he will be. When that would be, Madara wasn't even sure Tobirama himself knew.
It was also not hard for Madara to put the pieces together. He may have been acting like a fool for all his life but he was taught to be the future clan head, the head on his shoulders had more uses than a handsome face to be looked at.
For the past few weeks, every time that Madara wanted to drag Tobirama to visit Izuna, Tobirama would stiffen for half a second before he was breathing out and forcibly relaxing his body. He does not miss the way that Izuna does not greet Tobirama, doesn't even set out a cup of tea for him until Madara pushed his own cup for Tobirama. Or even his obvious lethal glares over dinner.
Tobirama shrunk in the presence of Izuna. He would find the least obstructive space to occupy and does not speak unless spoken to. It was as if he could be out of sight out of mind.
Izuna never spoke badly of Tobirama, at least not in Madara's presence. Madara had even asked his parents if Izuna does so to them, but the first time Izuna had, mother had shut him down so badly that he stormed off and left for an unsanctioned patrol. He had never brought up another bad word to his parents after that. But Izuna's actions spoke louder than his words, and if Madara guessed right then it must have been Izuna who had left that bruise on Tobirama.
Madara knew that Tobirama was a formidable shinobi, knew it with every complaint that Izuna spewed to them after every battle, of the Senju Ghost who refused to die under his blade. Madara also understood what Tobirama's father had done by signing Tobirama's life over to the Uchiha. He could not retaliate, he could not fight, any incidents that he caused would affect how stable their peace treaty would hold. Tobirama, as Madara has come to know, would rather suffer in silence himself than destroy the peace that they have, for the sake of his family.
Madara could not allow that, Tobirama was his now, his to protect. Whether that was from scheming elders or rude clansmens or even Madara's very own brother, he would not allow anyone to harm Tobirama while he still breathed.
As Tobirama continued to recite the tales and run his fingers through Madara's hair, Madara vowed to protect his lovely husband from anything that would seek to harm him.
Madara had his father occupy Tobirama's time while Madara threw his brother into the koi pond.
“Stop hurting my husband.” Madara said the moment Izuna's head popped up from the water dripping wet.
“What the fuck Nii-san, I didn't even do anything! Do you see a single scratch on him? No!” Izuna sputtered, spitting water out of his mouth as he spoke.
“Don't think I don't know how poisonous your tongue can be, Otouto. Tobirama is a good man, you will cease to antagonise him.” Madara does not bring up the bruise he saw on Tobirama's arm, he chose to believe that his brother would not stoop to the level of domestic abuse. There were no other bruises aside from that one, but he would continue to keep a close eye on Tobirama.
“He's literally a demon, you don't know the amount of Uchiha blood on his hands because you don't go to the battlegrounds Nii-san.” Izuna shouted at him from inside the pond, ears going red with obvious frustration. How could his brother know? He had never stepped foot onto the battlefield.
“What does it matter? Have you not killed equal amounts of Senju? We have peace, will you break it and have us send Hikaku’s little girl into the battlefield next?”
“That's not fair.”
“So is the way you're treating Tobirama, who has married into our clan with the knowledge that he would serve an incapable man for the rest of his life, all to secure the chance at peace. Face it, Izuna, you could never stand to be in his position.”
Izuna pouted but Madara stood his ground, staring down at his brother. Tobirama had given his entire life for this peace treaty, and here Izuna was acting like a brat and making it so much more difficult for Tobirama.
Tobirama must have lived every day tired, thinking of being under Izuna's abuse for the rest of his life, which may even worsen when Izuna took over clan leadership. Madara couldn't imagine how any man could continue to live under that kind of stress without pause, and Madara would like to have his husband whole and healthy beside him as Matriarch when he took over as clan head.
“Fine.” Izuna ground out between clenched teeth.
“I'll be watching you Izuna, Tobirama is not our enemy here, he is my husband and he is very good to me.” Madara said. He watched as Izuna climbed out of the koi pond and
glared at him before stomping off.
Madara sighed, Izuna has always been stubborn. How was it that Tobirama could make peace with living with his old enemy and yet Izuna could not? Izuna wasn't even surrounded by his old enemies like Tobirama was, with no one to cling to.
Tobirama was so special, Madara lamented. He was so lucky to have married him, such a caring lovely man, who could look a retarded man in the eye and said he would be content to live the rest of his life this way. Madara would give him the world if he could, whatever he wanted to do with his life, Madara would make sure he could when he became clan head and no longer had to hide.
For now, he had a husband to cuddle up to before dinner.