Chapter Text
Izuna is reading beside an asleep Kagami and Tobirama when he hears the front door opening. His nose itches for him to go down and discover who has entered.
He doesn’t feel the crazy urge to fight for his territory like he usually does on his ruts but his body still feels on edge, especially because his instincts are telling him he needs to protect his mate and their pup - no matter that Kagami isn’t truly theirs, if he’s allowed into their nest, he’s pack and if he’s pack, he’s family.
Izuna throws one last look at them to check if they’re still asleep and then he places his book aside and goes down to see their visitor.
“Izuna?” It’s Hikaku who greets him. His cousin is hesitant to approach and Izuna can’t blame him. His ruts leave him very aggressive. “Are you-?”
“I’m fine,” he answers the unspoken question, “my rut ended yesterday. Are you and aniki well?”
His cousin nods. “We were worried about you. Then we heard about Tobirama going to rescue Akari and Kagami…”
“Yeah, he rushed out of here, didn’t even tell me what was going on.” Izuna tells him. “He said he’s keeping a clone with her to monitor her health. Kagami’s asleep in our nest.”
He can see how his cousin is itching to ask questions and Izuna loves to tease him and pretend he isn’t aware of that. He takes pity on him, though.
“Why don’t you sit down, I’ll make us some tea and we can talk more.”
Hikaku obliges. “How was your rut?”
“Much better than usual.” It’s the truth. Izuna actually feels rested and not starved. Not to mention that the sex had been awesome - he can’t wait to have a repeat of it. “Tobirama cooked, made me take baths, kept the nest clean and we talked.”
“Did he-” He can see Hikaku is hesitant to ask.
It is understandable. Izuna wasn’t in his right mind but Tobirama was nothing if not polite and very conscious of the lines he couldn’t cross.
He shakes his head. “No. He helped but he didn’t cross any lines.” It is visible how Hikaku seems relieved. “But we agreed on a courtship.” Surprises cross his cousin’s face. “Ah, I bet you didn’t expect that.”
“Izuna, are you sure? You hate him.”
“I don’t, though.” He says. “No, listen to me. I’m telling the truth and I’m not doing this just because of a…a misplaced sense of duty or some shit. I like him. I…I always have.”
Hikaku raises an incredulous eyebrow at him.
“Fine. I never told anyone about it because aniki would think me mad, the elders would throw a fit and call me a traitor.” Izuna justifies. “But if you remember, I was always fascinated by him.”
That seems to finally click something inside his cousin’s head because his expression easens. “So now you want to date him.”
“Court him. There’s a difference. We’re serious.”
“You’re not joking.”
“I’m not. He came here to marry, or are you forgetting that? We’re giving it a shot. I am giving it a shot. My rut brain thinks of him as my mate already. Why not see if we can actually work together?” Izuna reasons. “He’s thoughtful and he is careful with whatever he does. He likes peace and quiet. Kagami adores him and he’s good with him. Out of all the people I could have for a mate, he’s one of the best options.”
“Madara won’t like it.” Hikaku reminds him.
“He may not and he’s entitled to whatever feelings he wants to have, as long as he doesn’t offend Tobirama.”
He earns a raised eyebrow, “feeling protective, are we.”
“Yes.” Izuna affirms, without shame. “He’s mine. For as long as he agrees to keep me, I won’t hear anyone speaking ill of him. I want him to feel welcomed here. He already left everything behind for peace. He didn’t even expect to be treated well and if that doesn’t speak about the clan’s reputation, then I don’t know what would. I admit I treated him badly, okay? But that’s changed. I’m trying to do better, and I’d appreciate it if my family could do the same.”
Hikaku exhales tiredly. “I’ll talk to Madara.”
“Please,” Izuna asks, “I…I think this is it, you know. I don’t think there’s anyone else I would want.”
“Alright, alright. If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“When can he come back?”
Ah, good question. Izuna feels like he’s living in a world apart from reality these past few days. No clan obligations to attend to, no meetings, no paperwork, no missions to run, nothing. Only a nest to lay down and a mate to please and cuddle with.
“After the storm ends,” he finally says.
Hikaku nods. His cousin gets it. Izuna isn’t one to take time off unnecessarily but for once in his life he wants to savor this fragile growing thing between them before facing the clan’s scrutiny and his brother’s comments.
“I hope he’s worthy of it, Izuna.”
“He is.” It has been only a few days but he’d know by now if Tobirama wasn’t for him.
No one shows the care Tobirama did if they didn’t feel anything. Izuna has already noticed that his mate is quiet, not one for grand gestures but he tries to anticipate his needs and to do what he can to ensure his comfort.
That speaks louder than if Tobirama would shout from the rooftops that they are in a relationship. Izuna can appreciate that love language, especially because it makes him feel seen and heard. He intends to try to do the same for Tobirama.
Hikaku eats some leftover food from their breakfast and they share a thoughtful silence for a few blessed minutes.
“How’s the clan doing? Do you have any updates from Akari?”
“Everyone is alright. Most people are staying inside. We still don’t know what caused the fire in their place but at least she’s recovering well. We’ll ask her later what happened. All evidence is pointing to a domestic accident.”
“At least Tobirama sensed it and rescued them.”
Hikaku nods. “Tell Kagami his mother will be fine. Tobirama’s clone has been helping other patients in the halls and most of them have been cleared to return home.”
That’s good, Izuna thinks, at least the clan will start to look at him positively after they see how much he intends to care for them - and that is because he told Izuna he would only keep an eye on Akari, not the other sick patients.
It makes him pleased to have a mate that is so dedicated and that is humble, not doing it for attention or recognition, but because he wants to.
“Do you think you can watch over Kagami for a few days?” Hikaku’s voice breaks off his thoughts.
“Yeah, I don’t mind. Tobirama wouldn’t have brought him here if he did, so we’ll be fine.”
“You said they were sleeping,” Hikaku inquires lightly. He doesn’t push, but he’s curious, that’s obvious.
“Wanna see?” Izuna offers. He doesn’t mind. In fact, it will be good if his cousin can see this soft side of Tobirama. Maybe it will help on what he’ll be reporting to Madara after he leaves. When he nods, he says: “Just be quiet.”
His cousin follows and Izuna shows him the cute scene. When he left, Kagami was a bit distant from Tobirama but now the pup has all but attached himself to Tobirama’s side. The hug is reciprocated and it isn’t missed how protective Tobirama looks like this, even if his face is relaxed, he’s clearly ready to defend, should anyone come for Kagami.
He can feel his cousin’s sharingan activating. Izuna doesn’t blame him - it’s not every day you can see the former White Demon look so domestic.
After that, Hikaku leaves with the promise that he’ll speak to Madara, leaving Izuna finally alone to enjoy nest time with his mate and their pup. This storm couldn’t have been more well timed.
-.-
Hikaku keeps himself warm through circulating his chakra as he braves the storm to bring an update back to Madara - his wonderful cousin who is beside himself with worry about what is happening with his dear little brother by the hands of a Senju. He's still chilled by the time he makes it back home, clothes wet and wishing to take a hot bath. He's not going to get that bath given that his clan head is not five feet away from him trying to look collected.
“Madara,” he greets, trying to not sound frustrated.
The calm facade breaks and hands grip his shoulders. “How is he? Do I need to go murder that Senju?”
“Madara,” he says just to get ignored.
“Because I will. I will rip out his spine and I don't care if it starts a war-”
“MADARA,” he almost shouts, slapping his hand on the other's mouth. Dark eyes flicker red and back and he glares.
“Madara, Izuna is fine.” He removes his hand, stepping around his clan head and heading for the kitchen. He will not have this talk without at least some tea.
He hears Madara grumble as he follows behind, like the child he claims Izuna to be, seriously what was wrong with his family.
He sets about making the tea, and ignores the look he gets and tries to put what he saw into a clear image. He needs to say this right or it could spell disaster for them all.
“Finally,” Madara grumbles as sets both cups of tea down and takes his seat.
“Be thankful that I'm not going for a bath first.”
The glare that earns him almost has him smiling. “Izuna is doing fine, his rut has ended and he says Tobirama was polite and didn't cross any lines. Izuna has decided to pursue a courtship with Tobirama.”
He talks like he would do with a report. It’s funny to see Madara sputter and almost scald himself with his tea.
“He’s what-?!”
“Apparently Tobirama checks out all Izuna wants in a potential mate,” Hikaku continues, “his words, not mine.”
“But he- He never said anything about settling down! He never showed interest in anyone!” Madara basically shouts. “Why that Demon out of all people? Hasn’t our clan got anyone that might catch Izuna’s eyes? Did he put a spell on my otouto?”
Hikaku has to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. He’s trying to be the mature one here, even if he himself doubts a little about Izuna’s feelings - mostly that they are reciprocated at all.
“I don’t know any details,” he confesses, “but I guess we’ll just have to observe them after the storm is over. From what I’ve seen, they seemed cozy together.” He can’t help but tease Madara a bit by riling him up. “Do you want to see?”
It’s funny to see the conflict play out in Madara’s eyes. He seems to desperately want to see proof of Izuna’s well-being but is not willing to see his little brother with the White Demon.
“I-Alright.”
His sharingan surges to life, and he locks Madara in a light genjutsu to show him his memory - of Tobirama and Kagami in the nest, the two of them clearly comfortable as a family would look like, Izuna smiling softly at the scene, how the smell was of Izuna but nothing one would assume after a rut which meant that Tobirama kept his promise of helping him through it.
He lets the memory fade and then dissolves the genjutsu.
Madara looks…thoughful, in a way Hikaku isn’t sure he’s ever seen him before. He decides to savor his tea before it gets cold and wait for whatever it is that is going through his cousin’s head.
It takes minutes but Hikaku doesn’t mind.
“Izuna seemed healthy.” Madara finally says, breaking off the silence. “He’s never looked like that after his ruts.”
Hikaku only nods, knowing that there’s more to come if he doesn’t interrupt.
“He- I didn’t know he had a nest.” His voice sounds hurt and Hikaku gets it. Izuna never nested. Typically, it was something omegas did, but it was common for alphas to have nests too, even if not as elaborate, and for them to share with family for comfort.
“I don’t think Izuna has made that nest,” he offers lightly, trying to not break Madara’s epiphany. “Have you seen those furs spread out? I’d bet they are Tobirama’s.”
That, more than anything, screamed a level of trust, of intimacy of the highest degree. For an alpha to allow someone else to build them a nest, share their own things to help make it comfortable and soft-
Mates did that. Close family too.
Not friends, not distant relatives, not healers to their patients, and certainly not former-enemies-turned-into-tentative-allies.
More shocking than that was Kagami laying surrounded by the furs, a clear expression of affection - almost as if he truly was their pup. Not many alphas would allow former enemies into their nests, much less a pup that wasn’t theirs, but apparently not only Tobirama saw Kagami as his, but so did Izuna.
Hikaku could only imagine what was going through Madara’s head: in the span of a few days, it seemed like the Izuna they knew had completely changed into a new alpha with a personality very different from the territorial, angry one they were used to seeing.
But thinking back on it, that hadn't always been the case. Before he presented he'd never acted in such a way. Izuna had been a sweet kid willing to help all and a social butterfly. The change had hit when he'd come out as an alpha.
What did Izuna say before - that he'd always been fascinated by Tobirama. What if- no that couldn't be - but it made sense. What if Izuna's alpha had chosen Tobirama back when he first presented? What if it was the fact that his mate was in danger that made Izuna so aggressive in the first place?
Shit. He could tell Madara about his supposition and together, they would observe his brother’s behaviour until one of them talked to Izuna, because if this is true, then it would definitely put a spin on it.
“There’s another thing,” Hikaku says, drawing the attention back to him, “something Izuna told me that had me thinking.”
“What did he say?”
“He mentioned that he didn’t hate Tobirama, that there was a time when he was fascinated by him.” He repeated the words. “I remember that. Just after the Naka encounter. Izuna used to ask a lot of questions about the pale boy with red eyes.”
That makes Madara frown, the memories coming to him too. “He nagged me for weeks asking about him, until father told him that if he went out looking for the enemy he’d become a traitor. He stopped asking after.”
Hikaku nods. Izuna talked about Tobirama everyday until suddenly he didn’t anymore. Not a single word or reference to the boy. It lasted until he joined the battlefield. Then he was always scowling and cursing the Senju bastard.
“He- Gods, Hikaku, he used to be so annoying,” Madara says, realization coming to him, “I didn’t want to talk because I had just lost my best friend and gained my sharingan and he pestered me all day because of that boy until I told father.”
“I remember it.”
“Then he stopped. I never forgot how hurt he looked when father told him off. It only came back a few years later and all he’d say were cursing words at Tobirama.”
“Do you think,” he says carefully, “that back then, he may have recognized Tobirama as his mate without knowing it?”
His cousin’s eyes widen and he pales. “You think-”
Hikaku nods, still gauging his reaction.
“If that is true then…”
Then keeping them apart would become impossible the more time they were allowed to spend together. With Izuna’s rut and their shared nest, it was a given if they were seeing apart from one another for more than a few hours at a time. At least in the beginning of their bond.
Which would only be a formality for the clans to see, because all evidence pointed to them being already bonded.
Madara groans, and Hikaku knows he’s thinking along the same lines.
“It’s just a conjecture,” he tries to say.
“As if,” Madara scoffs. “You wouldn’t say anything if you didn’t think it almost certain.”
That is true. Now they have to resign themselves to wait for the storm to pass because there was nothing they could do if Izuna and Tobirama were mates.
“Wait.” Madara says, suddenly alarmed. “Tell me that Senju is a beta and not an omega.”
“I…don’t know.”
Now that he thinks about it, Hikaku never smelled any scents off Tobirama, nor from in the room he stayed in the guest house.
“Fuck.” Madara curses. “Do you think that they-?”
Had sex? That Izuna knocked Tobirama up? That now they might have to rush a wedding between their clans?
“It’s possible,” he says hesitantly. “I certainly smelled satisfaction coming off from Izuna.”
“Fuck.” His cousin repeats.
Internally, Hikaku shares the sentiment.
Not that he minds having a little pup to dote on. It’s the circumstances that are terrible. Their clans are still new to their peace treaty and a pregnancy would be a scandal for the Uchiha in the best scenario.
For once, he wished things were simpler.
-.-
To be continued…