Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationships:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Collections:
Anonymous
Stats:
Published:
2024-09-07
Completed:
2024-09-20
Words:
12,985
Chapters:
8/8
Comments:
65
Kudos:
439
Bookmarks:
59
Hits:
5,293

Under the sakura tree

Anonymous

Chapter 8: Under the sakura tree

Summary:

Tobirama and Izuna go to the Hanami together

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Tobirama arrived at the meeting point, under a sakura tree by the fountain in the center of the festival, a whole hour earlier than planned. He knew he was being overly punctual, but he couldn’t help it. Standing there, he had nothing to do but wait and stew in his thoughts for another hour. Anxiety buzzed under his skin.

All he could do was overthink all the ways the day could go, including the ways in which it could go wrong. If Izuna rejected him, would they go back to being just rivals? Or even worse, what if he wanted nothing to do with Tobirama? Then they’d never spar together again. Tobirama thought he would lose his mind in that scenario, how would he become a better shinobi without Izuna pushing him every step of the way?

He needed to calm down, so he sat down and tried meditating. He focused on the gentle flutter of sakura petals falling around him, forcing any thoughts of Izuna out of his mind. He concentrated on the chakra signatures around him. Tobirama felt the presence of the villagers bustling through the Hanami, the lively chatter of families, and even Hashirama’s powerful woody chakra next to the bright fire of Madara’s. And then he felt it, the fiery chakra that was so unmistakably Izuna’s, approaching the festival. Tobirama’s breath hitched. This was it.

Izuna was also early, by a whole half-hour. Tobirama took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as he waited for Izuna to arrive. He could feel him jumping around the trees, getting closer and closer to him.

“Did I keep you waiting, Senju?” Izuna landed from a tree gracefully in front of Tobirama.

Tobirama looked up at him and offered one of his small, but genuine, smiles. “You’re early, Uchiha.”

As he stood up, Tobirama’s heart skipped a beat the moment he fully admired Izuna. He wore a striped black yukata with a red obi belt. The dark yukata contrasted against his pale skin and framed his body gracefully. Tobirama’s eyes lingered on Izuna’s exposed neck, unaccustomed to seeing him without the usual Uchiha high-necked collar. He looked beautiful. Blush immediately crept up his cheeks.

“Follow me,” Tobirama said quickly, leaping to a nearby sakura tree and sprinting off in one direction, hoping Izuna wouldn’t notice his flustered state. Izuna followed without hesitation. Tobirama had scouted the area beforehand and had found what he believed to be the perfect spot for their… meeting? Date?

 

They arrived at the top of a hill, under the expansive branches of a grand sakura tree. The area was far enough from the rest of the festival that they were enveloped in tranquility, the sounds of the village reduced to a distant hum. Petals danced in the air.

“Woah, this is nice” Izuna’s voice broke through the quiet, his eyes lighting up as he took in the surroundings. Tobirama smiled shyly, pleased that Izuna liked the spot.

Izuna pulled out a picnic blanket and spread it on the ground. They both sat down and retrieved their sealing scrolls with the food. They exchanged one bento box each, and opened the boxes.

When Izuna saw the spicy mitarashi dango Tobirama had prepared, his eyes widened in surprise. “I didn’t know you liked these!” he said, grinning widely. Tobirama’s heart squeezed in his chest at the sight.

“I heard that you Uchihas like the spice,” he replied, trying to keep his tone neutral, though the warmth on his cheeks betrayed him.

Izuna happily grabbed one of the skewers and Tobirama followed suit, albeit with a bit more hesitation. As Izuna quickly devoured his dango, Tobirama took a moment before taking a bite. The dango was slightly sweet, but the gooey glaze was savory, with the spicy glaze adding an unexpected but pleasant kick. His eyes widened slightly at the taste, realizing that he actually enjoyed it.

“These are really good” Izuna ate another skewer in a flash, his gaze was alight with enjoyment. Tobirama found himself staring, a small smile growing on his face.

“Slow down,” he murmured, though his tone was gentle, almost affectionate. “You’ll choke if you keep eating like that.”

Izuna didn’t slow down. He shot Tobirama a mischievous glance between bites. “I’m fine. Besides, when’s the next time I’ll get food this good from a Senju?”

Tobirama shook his head, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips. There was something undeniably endearing about watching Izuna enjoy the meal so unabashedly, especially one he had prepared.

They ate in relative silence, each savoring the food. Tobirama had gone to great lengths to make sure everything was perfect, and it seemed that Izuna was enjoying the meal as much as he had hoped. Izuna’s contentment was evident in the small smiles and appreciative glances he shot Tobirama’s way.

After they finished eating, they stayed seated on the blanket, watching the sakura petals fall around them. Tobirama leaned back on his hands, gazing up at the branches above. The rare moment of vulnerability in Tobirama’s posture caught Izuna off guard, not used to seeing him so relaxed.

“You’re awfully quiet today,” Izuna remarked, a teasing edge to his voice.

Tobirama smirked, tilting his head slightly to glance at Izuna. “I’m just waiting for you to say something stupid.”

Izuna chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh please, like I’d give you the satisfaction,” a beat of silence as they watched a bird fly over them, “Though, I will admit, those dango were pretty good. You might be learning something from us Uchihas after all.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Tobirama shot back, though his tone was playful.

Izuna leaned back on his hands as well, mimicking Tobirama’s posture. “You know, I never thought I’d see the day when you, of all people, would be sitting here with me under a sakura tree, sharing food instead of trying to kill me.”

“Life has a funny way of changing, doesn’t it?”

Izuna turned his head to look at him, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Yeah, it does.”

They both fell into a comfortable silence, the light banter easing them into a sense of peace. The sakura petals continued to drift around them. For the first time in what felt like forever, Tobirama allowed himself to simply enjoy the moment, his worries and doubts temporarily forgotten.

 

--

 

After a long moment, Tobirama straightened up, inhaling deeply as he summoned the courage to take the next step. This was the moment he had been preparing for, the entire reason he had invited Izuna to the Hanami. Even if he faced rejection, Tobirama felt a certain satisfaction in having gotten to know this softer, more endearing side of his rival. He would treasure these moments, no matter how fleeting they might be.

“Izuna,” Tobirama finally spoke, his voice breaking the tranquil silence between them. Izuna, lost in thought, snapped his attention back to Tobirama.

“I have a gift for you,” Tobirama continued, his tone uncharacteristically hesitant. Izuna tilted his head in curiosity, his eyes scanning Tobirama's face for any clues.

With deliberate care, Tobirama reached into his pocket and retrieved a second sealing scroll. His heart pounded in his chest, and he fought to control his breathing, knowing full well that his face must be as red as his eyes. He set the scroll on the ground between them and, with a pulse of chakra, the seal opened and the uchiwa emerged from the paper.

Izuna’s eyes widened in surprise. Tobirama picked up the fan delicately and offered it to him. Izuna accepted it with equal reverence, holding it gingerly with both hands. The atmosphere between them became almost fragile, as if any sudden movement or sound might shatter the moment.

When Izuna recognized the fan for what it was, a courting fan, his blush deepened. Surely Tobirama didn’t know the significance of what he had just handed him. But as Izuna looked up, he caught sight of Tobirama’s expression; the slight pinch of his eyebrows, the burning intensity of his gaze, his whole face red. This was serious.

Izuna’s fingers lightly traced the intricate craftsmanship of the fan, scanning every little detail with his sharingan. Painted sunflowers adorned the fan’s surface, the meaning of it didn’t escape him. Respect, loyalty, and adoration. Had Tobirama chosen this design deliberately? Izuna looked back at him, the weight of the situation sinking in.

“Did you like it?” Tobirama’s voice was quiet, tinged with anticipation.

Izuna’s serious expression met Tobirama’s eyes. “Do you know what this means?”

Tobirama swallowed visibly. “Of course,” he replied, his voice steady, but heart racing. They stared at each other for a moment, the air between them charged with Tobirama’s unspoken confession.

After what felt like an eternity, Izuna took a deep breath and smiled. “I love it.”

The implications of the situation settled over them like a warm blanket, their hearts pounding in unison. Izuna was the first to break the stillness. He gently set the fan down, then reached out, grabbing Tobirama by the collar of his yukata, and pulled him into a kiss.

For a moment, Tobirama didn’t move, caught off guard by the suddenness of the action. The feeling of Izuna’s lips making his brain short-circuit. He had never done this before, unsure of what to do. He closed his eyes and placed a hand on Izuna’s shoulder, trying to ground himself and follow the movements with his mouth. The kiss was gentle at first, like Izuna was waiting for him to pull away. But Tobirama didn’t. He couldn’t.

His body felt like it was on fire, Izuna’s blazing chakra burning him from the inside out. All he could feel was Izuna—soft lips moving against his own and the fire inside him flaring in tandem with their movements. He had never experienced anything like this before, not even all the times he had imagined kissing Izuna felt anywhere close to this. His mind was lost in a haze, thoughts drowned out by the feeling of Izuna, Izuna, Izuna. Tobirama’s grip on Izuna’s shoulder tightened, his other hand making its way to Izuna’s waist. Just as he was beginning to find his rhythm, Izuna pulled away to catch his breath.

Tobirama instinctively leaned forward, chasing after Izuna’s mouth. They remained frozen there, breathing heavily. Izuna’s sharingan spun rapidly, inches away from his own eyes, burning their kiss into his mind forever.

In a burst of confidence, Tobirama leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the tip of Izuna’s nose. Izuna gasped, a playful look of mock betrayal crossing his face. His fingers threaded through Tobirama’s white hair lazily.

“I don’t think the courting book mentioned anything like this,” Tobirama whispered, still feeling out of breath.

“You’re such an idiot,” Izuna said with a mischievous smile before pouncing on Tobirama, pinning him to the ground.

Tobirama found himself looking up lovingly at Izuna, perfectly content with letting him stay there. “How so?” he smirked, the familiar spark of their rivalry glinting in his eyes.

Izuna leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a coy whisper. “I hope you know what you’re getting into, Senju.”

“Of course,” Tobirama replied, matching Izuna’s smug tone.

Izuna’s lips curled into a grin. They would always resort to their usual competitive banter, regardless of if they’re courting or not. He put a hand on Tobirama’s face, caressing the little red marks on his cheeks. Tobirama melted into the touch. The warmth of Izuna’s hand knocking down the walls he had spent his entire life building.

The playfulness hung in the air for a moment before they leaned in and met in another kiss, this one more heated, more frantic. Years of tension from the clashing of swords turning into desperation. They lost themselves in each other, rolling over the blanket, laughing softly in between kisses.  When they finally paused, Tobirama grinned, looking down at his Uchiha now laying beneath him. “Don’t think I’ll start going easy on you during our spars.”

Izuna’s eyes sparkled with challenge, “Good. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Their banter subsided as they lay there, tangled together under the sakura tree, exchanging kisses. Tobirama carded his fingers through Izuna’s hair as he had imagined doing before, playing with the long strands. The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, finally letting their guard down completely.

Tobirama knew that this was just the beginning, as he held Izuna close, he felt excited for whatever came next.

 

 

Notes:

thats the end! hope you enjoyed <3

this was my first time posting on ao3 and Im very thankful for all the nice comments
love ya :)

 

also might do a little sequel to see Madara and Hashirama's reactions but Im not sure yet