As reticent a man as Tobirama was, the fact so much moved expressive naked emotion was baring itself on his handsome features spoke volumes as to the powerful emotions surfacing from within him. His stunning eyes were wide as if Izuna’s sincere words were entirely unexpected — as if he’d been preparing himself for judgment or rejection. Even with his lover’s face lowered, there was no hiding the spasm and small tremulous smile from Izuna’s attentive focused gaze. Ever watchful of him for years, Izuna recognized some of that as relief and happiness, a release of turmoil he must have been experiencing if his nervousness from before was any indication.
He waited patiently for Tobirama to grant eye contact once again and his fingers curled to hold his lover’s face as Tobirama reached and held his hand. Warmth and sympathy filled his chest in equal measure when he said Izuna deserved to know. Izuna didn’t deserve to know, not as Tobirama meant it. It was like Tobirama thought Izuna should know he was less valuable, tainted or wrong somehow which couldn’t be farther from the truth. ❝ What you just told me isn’t your fault. You are not defective for being different, Tobirama. Your father was. Our uniqueness makes us special, not the other way around, but I know sometimes it is hard to see it that way when other eyes have not.❞
When he dropped his hand and his eyes, Izuna felt in that moment it had been wrong of him to ask, he couldn’t have imagined what he’d just asked Tobirama to relive until he told him and it was like liquid poison had been injected into his system…
The words that left Izuna, left his lover, froze Tobirama for a few seconds before his features relaxed again. Emotions were root deep in the Senju’s eyes as such words were kindness that he had never been graced with. All his life had been judging gazes, whispered words and harsh treatments. Of course, it wasn’t the case with his anija, but from anyone else who had known of his condition, it had been. Clan members hadn’t shied away from making their thoughts clear, whether it had been with indirect actions or direct, it had all been the same. Some milder than others of course, but it shouldn’t even have been the case to begin with. And yet it had been. When he had grown older, Tobirama had gotten used to it, but it all still ran so deep, it made this kindness, this love, so foreign when it came to this. Especially, the words;
‘ You are not defective for being different ‘
Those struck deeper than anything and made Tobirama feel an indescribable amount of love for the man before him in that moment and a small noise left the Senju in a short jumpy exhale, something that was between happiness and relief, that almost sounded like a sob and yet, Tobirama merely smiled tenderly as he closed his eyes to soak in Izuna’s warmth until he continued.
Tobirama didn’t need to look, didn’t need to see to know that Izuna was beyond angry. His lover was furious and the storm in those familiar hues was clear. Yet, for the Senju it was much more than a storm as as soon as red translucent hues gazed up, they could sense, see the chakra gathering behind burning eyes. Eyes, that normally in the past would have made him look away, made him grow rigid and resulted his every muscle in his body to flex in anticipation, but Izuna had changed that and showed him so much. Had showed him what beauty the Sharingan could bring and yet, also made it clear that the fear was well founded. Tobirama knew that just because Izuna had showed the beauty in his blood resembling, the ones that the Senju was now safely looking into, didn’t mean that the beauty would be found in the next pair of Sharingan he gazed into.
The anger was slightly overwhelming and yet, Tobirama kept calm before his lover, kept his usual calm features in tact as he breathed slowly in an attempt to calm Izuna. He understood the anger. Had this been Izuna telling him this then he would too have been angry. His anger just worked differently and was something cold, something freezing. The kind of anger that scared people to their core despite not seeing it blowing into their face. Izuna was the firestorm kind of anger and even like this, Tobirama wanted to reach out and touch. Perhaps to burn his fingers, but for the man before him, he would gladly do so.
Waiting patiently, Tobirama watched. Never had he seen Izuna this angry and it touched something deep in his soul and made him feel appreciated, loved in the strangest way.
The embrace was welcomed, very much needed as Tobirama nestled the side of his face against Izuna’s, finding comforting in the warmth and affection that he was presented with. Warmth that soothed the traces of the unwanted memories away as strong arms wrapped around his lover, keeping him close.
Relief was flooding his veins, filling him with a even lighter feeling as the true realization hit him that Izuna now knew. That there was no longer any secrets between them and that unlike many others, his lover hadn’t rejected him, hadn’t looked at him with a judging gaze. Only love. Tobirama hadn’t thought it possible to love Izuna more than he already did. He had been beyond wrong. For right now, his heart couldn’t be contained, couldn’t be held back as it beat wildly in his chest with the most heavenly feeling, all for the man in his arms.
The words that left Izuna made a tender smile bloom on his fair lips, despite the horrible memories, despite the sadness, despite the pain that had been there not even minutes ago.
Pulling back, pools of red gazed into the familiar hues as warmth and love shone as clear as day in them before words, matching, left with the tender smile to boot.
Many might find those words simple, and yet, for the pale male they were not. They were spoken with such an endless amount of love that they even made Tobirama feel breathless for saying them. He was utterly and madly in love with the man before him. Izuna might indeed not be able to erase past scars, but he was covering them with warmth and love. With everything that he was and everything that Tobirama loved. And in his eyes, there was no better way to leave the past where it belonged.
“You don’t need to erase the past, Izuna. You have given me a far greater gift than merely doing that. And I would go through all of that again if it meant having you by my side in the end.”
Leaning in, Tobirama captured the familiar lips in a deep passionate kiss, pouring all his feelings into it as he let his eyes sink, resulting white lashes to grace familiar skin before he slowly pulled back with his forehead now resting against his lover’s while keeping Izuna close, not wanting to break this contact right now.
“I need to tell you something else too, something else that is due to this condition.”
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