A/N: Hi there! It's been a while (≧▽≦)

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For a man of knowledge like Tobirama, there's nothing more frustrating than being this close to finding a solution and being stuck in what seems to be a dead-end. But time is of the essence, especially now that Hashirama needs the jutsu more than ever, so there's not a single moment to waste in moping or even taking a short break to rest.

Thanks to the classes being temporarily suspended due to the season, he and Mito have more time to work on the jutsu. However, it's nearly been a month since they reached the final stages of the research but they're still unable to perfect it. Tobirama doesn’t know which part exactly they’re doing wrong and it seems that he's not the only one who has observed this.

"I think we're missing something out." Mito's full attention is fixed on the scrolls before her as she thinks out loud. She's standing by the long table at the center of Tobirama's lab room, composing and writing different combinations of seal formulas in said scrolls.

Tobirama pauses from his task, which is testing out the seal formulas that she's written, and lifts his head up. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that, too," he sighs. "Thing is, I couldn't determine exactly what it is, but I'm quite sure we're getting close to the correct formula."

"I wonder what could it be?" Mito puts down the brush she's using to write in order to straighten her back that has become stiff due to extended hours of writing.

It's already past midnight now, Tobirama learns by taking a glance at the window. "You should rest now, Mito," he tells her considerately.

He understands that Mito wants to help him, but it won't do her any good if she tires herself further. Besides, Mito is supposed to be their guest, isn't she? It's not her obligation to help him at all and it wasn't Tobirama's intention to keep her working with him until this late at night either.

However, Mito shakes her head. "No, I can still—" she says but is cut off midway when she yawns rather involuntarily. She immediately covers her mouth and blinks in an attempt to bring back her senses.

"Sorry. I can still go on," she says, more firmly now.

"We'll continue this tomorrow, Mito. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry I didn't notice the time."

Mito contemplates for a short while, then she nods, but it can be seen in her expression that she's still hesitating. Tobirama doesn't wait for her answer though. He sets the scrolls aside and then fetches his fur collar from the rack by the door. He also brings Mito's wool gloves with him and hands them to her as he goes to her side.

Realizing that Tobirama won’t listen even if she refuses, she thanks him and gently accepts the gloves.

Tobirama's lab room is located in a secluded area for security purposes—mainly for the safety of the people of the village since the lab room is where he invents new jutsu and accidents could happen in the process—and for secrecy as well.

"Aren't you cold, Mito?" Tobirama asks when he notices the tinge of red on Mito's nose as they're walking home.

Winter brings with it colder days and even colder nights. It's not snowing tonight but it's still cold as it is. Although Mito is wearing a kimono made from thicker and warmer material for winter, it's obvious that she's shivering. Still, she shakes her head as an answer.

"Wait a second." Tobirama suddenly halts and motions her to stop, too. Mito looks up at him in confusion, but he says nothing. Instead, he takes off his fur collar and carefully puts it around her neck.

"There. It's warmer, right?"

The smile that naturally played in Tobirama’s lips as he spoke suddenly turns into a frown when he sees the color of Mito's face turn from pale white to a light red in an instant. He doesn't understand, maybe…

"Is it not? Are you still cold?" He asks in mild panic. He quickly reaches for his pouch to get a scroll where he's sealed some winter garments beforehand—a practice he's been doing simply because it proved to be handy during times of need, such as now. "Wait, I think I have—"

"N-no! I mean, yes, Tobi. I feel warmer now," Mito clarifies quickly, the color of her face turning redder. She fixes her gaze on the ground and Tobirama’s eyebrows contort still.

"You sure?"

Mito nods at him. "Yeah, but what about you? Aren't you cold?"

Tobirama smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry. I have a high tolerance for the cold."

"Oh...I see. Thank you."

They continue the rest of their track with surprisingly comfortable silence between them, despite whatever it was that happened just earlier. Tobirama couldn't explain why his heart beats just a little bit faster though.

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Going from the lab to the Senju compound is a thirty-minute walk. They reach the house soon and Tobirama walks Mito up to the door of her bedroom. "Thank you for helping again today, Mito. Good night," he says.

"Don't mention it, Tobi. Good night." She flashes a warm smile at him before she opens the door and retreats to her room.

After making sure that Mito has settled, Tobirama infuses chakra to check up on his brother. He learns that Hashirama is sleeping in his room, thankfully. Letting out a relieved sigh, he makes his way to the front door of the house.

"Tobi?"

Tobirama quickly turns around and sees Mito. She's changed into a sleeping yukata. There's a look of confusion on her face, probably because he just saw Tobirama walking towards the main door and about to exit the house instead of going to his room. Although she doesn't ask, Tobirama feels like he owes her an explanation.

"I...forgot something in the lab," is the only believable excuse he could think of at the moment.

"Oh," Mito says, lifting her hand and the scarf she's holding,"...your scarf. I forgot to return it to you earlier." She walks closer to him and gives it back.

"Uhm, thanks, Mito." He smiles a little and takes the scarf from her. He notices Mito's worried expression, as if she knows that there's no 'forgotten something' in the lab and that the true reason why he's going back despite the late hour is because he'll continue to work on the jutsu. He's been doing this for weeks now, and he thinks Mito is less and less convinced when he says that it just happened that he only came early on the lab to explain it all.

But Mito keeps these thoughts to herself. "Take care, Tobi," is what she tells him.

Tobirama slowly nods and is careful not to make eye contact before he leaves.

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Keeping his mind distracted from any thoughts about Madara is becoming harder and harder these days. There's not much work left to do, not many things to keep himself preoccupied, and it's taking all of him not to drink alcohol during office hours just to free his mind of those thoughts.

Usually, he'd devote his mind and all his thoughts to work and the village, but recently, Toka refused to give him any more paperwork, simply because he'd just finished a good three months' worth of them. She even said that he doesn't have to come to the office on a daily basis anymore and if there's an urgent matter that he must attend to, then she'd just send him a summon.

Hashirama graciously refused. If not to the office, where else would he go?

Perhaps it really is better to just go home, where he could drink until he couldn't think anymore. At this rate, the gambling place that he passed by the other day seems very tempting, too.

"...are ready to be picked up. They also said that they could accommodate our additional order. Do you have any other concerns, Hokage-sama?"

A long, heavy sigh escapes Hashirama's lips, his chin propped up on his knuckles. He absentmindedly traces the hem of his haori with his index finger.

"Uh, Hashirama-sama?"

At the mention of his name though,  Hashirama jolts from his seat. He looks at the other person in the room and blinks, as if to remind himself where he's currently at.

"I'm sorry. What is it, Hikaku-san?" He could only remember the part when Hikaku arrived earlier and Toka brought them some tea. Hikaku was telling him about the...

...wait a second, what is it again?

"The first batch of weapons and other supplies that we ordered are finished, Hokage-sama," Hikaku repeats, smiling nevertheless. "Are there any more concerns that you would like me to voice to their village chief?"

Oh, right. They've started to prepare for an attack. Assignments were given to the clan heads weeks ago and Hikaku happened to be the one assigned to the weapons.

"No, I think that's enough."

"Alright then," Hikaku says and then drinks the last sip of his tea. "I shall take my leave."

"Thank you for your hard work, Hikaku-san. Have a safe trip."

Hikaku stands up and bows at him courteously before he leaves.

A heavy sigh escapes from Hashirama's mouth once he's alone in the office. He's only been sitting all day but why is it that he feels extremely exhausted?

"I should go gamble and drink," he mumbles to himself, burying his face in his palms. Some rounds of gambling and a couple bottles of alcohol might help him have a few hours of sleep tonight at least.

The not-so-silent opening of the door catches his attention all of a sudden. It reveals Mito who walks hurriedly to his desk. Hashirama immediately stands up to rush to her side when he notices the look of panic in the Uzumaki's face.

"What's the matter, Mito-san? Are you alright?"

Mito grabs his hand with both of her hands. "Please come with me, Hashirama-sama," she says worriedly and in a somewhat desperate manner. It bothers Hashirama because Mito is usually calm and composed. He's never seen this side of her before—it looks like she's very close to dragging him out of the office.

"It's Tobirama. He needs your help."

At this information, Hashirama doesn't ask any further.

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"He collapsed because of extreme fatigue, but it could have been worse. Thank you for immediately seeking my help, Mito-san."

Hashirama looks at his brother's sleeping form in the bed. There are bags under his eyes and he looks so pale. When Mito took him to Tobirama's lab room earlier, Tobirama was unconscious and lying on the floor. Hashirama acted quickly and gave him healing chakra. After ensuring that his life is out of danger, he took him back to their house while Mito stayed by his side and assisted all throughout.

"Is he gonna be okay?" The worry in Mito's voice is evident, staring at the younger Senju.

"Yes, thankfully, but he needs to rest."

Relief floods Mito's expression. Her eyebrows soften and she visibly relaxes, if only a little. "That's a relief."

Hashirama reaches for her hand and gently squeezes it as a silent 'don't worry'. He also gives him a small reassuring smile.

"May I ask you what happened, Mito-san?" He knows that Tobirama is hard-working and he could be too engrossed in his work at times, but to neglect his own health is very uncharacteristic of him.

When Mito doesn't answer, Hashirama realizes that his hand is still on top of hers. Slowly, he retracts his hand, but Mito seems to be unaware of this, too. Her mind is distracted and Hashirama doesn't have a single clue on the reason why.

"...Tobi and I are working on a jutsu," she replies after a while.

"A jutsu?"

Mito nods hesitatingly, but she doesn't say anything more.

Hashirama wants to know more about it though. He wasn't even aware that Tobirama and Mito are working on a jutsu. While Hashirama doesn't want to meddle in Tobirama's personal affairs, it's still his responsibility to know what his brother is up to, at the very least. Tobirama is his only family after all. But these past few months, Tobirama has always been the one who checked up on him and asked him how he's doing. Hashirama didn't even return the gesture and asked him if he's alright.

"What was that jutsu for anyway? Is that more important than his own health?!" he says out of frustration. Or is it guilt?

Mito jolts from her seat and all of a sudden, Hashirama is reminded of her presence. He didn't mean to raise his voice at all. If there's someone he's angry at right now, it's no one but himself for being too caught up in his own problems and not being aware of his brother's welfare.

"I'm sorry, Mito-san. I didn't mean to—" he sighs. "I just—I don't understand why my brother would overwork himself like this."

"I'm also sorry, Hashirama-sama, but about the jutsu, I...think it would be best if you ask Tobirama instead."

Hashirama sighs. He looks again at Tobirama and resigns himself. It's no use asking Mito further what the jutsu is, what is it for, and why Tobirama is so hell-bent in creating it. For now, he decides to trust Tobirama's judgment. He must have had a good reason why he kept the jutsu from his knowledge. "Yeah, that probably would be best."

-End of Chapter 15-

First of all, I'm sorry for the long wait and for this chapter which I think is rather plain and boring 😭 Believe me, I sooooo wanna write the fluff and happy moments already, but I suppose we'll get there.

Second, I changed the title of ch 14, coz it has the same title as ch 8 and I realized that only now smh.

Lastly, thank you so much for all your encouragements and support! Please know that I appreciate every single one of them. Have a good day/night wherever you are 🖤

-Cee