Well, that was unexpected

Sunkissed

It was many hours before Tobirama was willing to return to the house, rising up only with the help of Madara's sturdy hands. They walked slowly, for Tobirama feared his legs would give out beneath him, and Madara was unwilling to leave his side for even a moment, if it meant being there to catch him. They spoke neither to each other, nor Izuna, who had only just returned from explaining the night's events to Tohru's mother, and he quietly fell in line behind them. The three made their way back upstairs and to Madara's bedroom, where they all fell into the large bed. After such an exhausting night, they lacked the energy to even strip off their filthy clothes, only pulling the covers up to their chins and wrapping around each other tightly, Tobirama nestled snugly between the brothers, whose arms were thrown loosely over him. Their presence did little to soothe his racing heart and mind, though, and he tossed in the sheets long after the other two fell into sleep.

••••••••••

When Madara awoke in the morning, it was to a very rumpled looking Izuna, who had clearly just woken up himself, and an empty spot in the bed that he could tell must have gone cold hours ago. He cast a worried glance in his brother's direction, and felt only the smallest comfort when he saw the same look reflected back on Izuna's face. They both slid out from the bed and padded out into the hallway together, calling out for Tobirama.

It didn't take long to find him. At some point in the night, he had returned to the garden, likely to watch the stars, and had fallen asleep near the garden's stream. Even before stepping outside, Madara could tell he must be freezing. The flowers glistened with dew in the early morning light, and Tobirama lay uncovered and red nosed in the grass. While Izuna went to fetch a blanket, Madara tip-toed his way toward his sleeping lover. Tobirama luckily didn't stir when Madara scooped him into his arms, only whispered something about the scent of cloves in his sleep. Izuna was waiting at the door when he got there, and he draped the blanket over the both of them gently.

"At least put on your shoes first, Mada." Izuna sighed at him fondly as he tucked the blanket's edges in around he and Tobirama, giving him one last pat on the shoulder before leading the way back upstairs and into Madara's bedroom. They worked together to get Tobirama into the bed- Izuna pulling back the sheets so that Madara could slide him under and rearrange his limbs, the two of them pulling the blankets up to Tobirama's chin, stroking fingers through his hair, pressing twin kisses to his cheeks- and Izuna started towards the door, beckoning Madara to follow with a shushing finger pressed to his lips.

Madara, though, was slow to follow. He sat for a moment on the bed's edge, watching the rise and fall of Tobirama's chest, admiring the pink flush in his cheeks from the night's cold. In his sleep, Tobirama was ethereal, Madara thought. White hair spread out beneath him, and warm sunlight kissed the tips of slender fingers, stroked over slim shoulders and pale arms. Madara had never seen anything so lovely. He thought the gods must have taken special care when creating him. That he must have been their perfect, most beautiful creation.

But while Tobirama was definitely lovely, to Madara, he also looked overwhelmingly sad. This close, he noticed the small shadow cast beneath Tobirama's downturned mouth, and the midnight crescents beneath his eyes from too-little rest. He saw how Tobirama shifted to hold himself in sleep, how small he looked, and he wondered how anyone could want to hurt him. How his own brother could want to hurt him.

"Mada."

There was the pressure of fingers at his wrist, and his eyes snapped to meet his younger brother's paling face. It dawned on him quickly that his chakra must be sour with all his stirring emotions, and if even Izuna could feel it, Tobirama would surely notice soon. He allowed himself to be pulled from the room, and was already pacing the hall before the door had clicked shut behind them.