The atmosphere within the little Senju home was almost palpable, Tobirama had been sent out to find his missing siblings, it seemed like Butsama was ready to have a conversation with Hashirama, now that he had got most information from both his other children. He had been left to reflect and muse about all of this, in a way it was unbelievable but then again, out of everyone that was going to wind up in this situation, why was Butsama not shocked in the slightest it was his eldest?

He knew Hashirama was a daydreamer, an idealist and optimist, he was well aware his oldest son didn't take any joy from fighting, in fact a little piece of him was getting chipped away with each fight that came and went. But to honestly wind up befriending the enemy? That was a line which Butsama had hoped would never be crossed, but he was still not even surprised Hashirama found himself in this position. But it was a position which did drag the rest of them in, it was a dangerous position that, if anyone else found out, could wind up with them all harbouring someone who would be seen as a traitor.

Hashirama was no traitor, even if him and his son's opinions differed, Butsama was well aware how much Hashirama cared for not just his immediate family, but the clan around him. He was dedicated to trying to protect as many around him, no matter what. Which just made the whole Uchiha thing an extremely messy situation, if others from the clan found out about this, Butsama doubted whatever lie he'd tell would be bought, they weren't idiots.

Tobirama had left his father to think over everything, while he already had his own thoughts and feelings on the situation, primarily Saruyama asking him to do damage control the best he could was one thing, but it was one thing to try and save some grace with one sibling, but the pair of them? Tobirama could definitely feel a headache lurking as he soon found the pair talking away to each other, he wasn't as open with his feelings as much as these two, but he would do whatever he could to get them out of this situation with as less damage as possible. And he meant that sincerely, emotional and physical damage was something he'd want to try and get them away with minimally.

Tobirama had Hashirama smiling happily his way, a hand on his shoulder had Tobirama inhaling slowly, from the look on his older brother's face, it was clear he knew what was going on, or what was about to happen. Tobirama narrowed his eyes at Saruyama, she merely pouted in return as she glanced around Hashirama, he seemingly took it upon himself to stand between them, as if he was expecting them to have a squabble.

Hashirama didn't think for one moment that Tobirama presumed Saruyama wouldn't wind up telling him some things. He knew, Tobirama was incredibly smart, he probably guessed once it was reasonably safe to, Saruyama would confide as much as she could in Hashirama. Tobirama knew Saruyama felt like she had betrayed their older brother somehow, but honestly, this situation was something they had both put themselves in, there was no way for Tobirama to deny that.

The air felt almost heavy when they entered their home, all of them took off their sandals and went walking towards the study room Butsama was still in. He hadn't left, he had just remained seated, cross legged and armed and opened his eyes when the shoji door opened and in walked his three children. Hashirama had a cushion held out to him by his sister, although he took it with a smile, it was a strained one purely to try and ease her, because she seemed uncomfortable to be in here. Hashirama didn't doubt that whatever questions their father asked her, made her feel like she wanted to curl up in a ball and hide.

He wasn't like Saruyama there, Hashirama was used to standing up to his father, the pair having numerous arguments in the past and most times it was Tobirama who played buffer between them while Saruyama looked torn between whatever was being argued about. It wasn't like whenever she contradicted their father it ended well for her. But Hashirama could take their father's anger well enough, he'd have his piece too, he'd take whatever their father dished out if only the brunette realised that Hashirama would give as good as he got too.

Hashirama sat down beside Tobirama, Saruyama was the other said of the white haired boy, both sat with their knees tucked up under themselves with their hands in their laps. Tobirama as ever was the image of stoic calm, whereas Saruyama's eyes were flicking around the room, clearly not wanting to watch her older brother get laid into and for them to just sit and have to accept it.

"No one else knows," Butsama said slowly, there was zero point beating around the bush. They all knew why they were here, there was no point dragging the moment out. Butsama would rather get this over and done with, so then they could move onto what to do next. "If anyone did know, you wouldn't be here, and I doubt we would be either." Butsama wished to nail this home, Hashirama would've been arrested, taken to a holding cell and honestly, traitors didn't last long and would no doubt wind up being executed. There'd be nothing either of them could do about that, because they would get taken down too.

Hashirama swallowed thickly and nodded, he understood that while flicking his eyes to his siblings, both sets of red eyes were looking sidelong at him. Hashirama, as much as he got lost in the friendship with Madara, had always known it was dangerous; not just for him, but for those around him, he wouldn't want his siblings to suffer because of him. But no matter how much he hoped for that, he had put both in situations they just had to accept and work through. In truth, Saruyama didn't have to continue coming to the river, but Hashirama was not blaming his sister for getting too far into this alongside him, as for Tobirama, Hashirama knew full well he was probably thinking of ways to get them as unscathed as possible out of this, even if he disapproved of the friendship, he wouldn't openly judge, much.

"You asked them to follow me?" Hashirama asked, trying to play off ignorant even though he already knew. Subtlety wasn't his sister's strong suit, not that he could say the same for himself.

Butsama fidgeted, if only to uncross his arms and gesture a hand from Tobirama to Saruyama, the pair looked at their father before looking back in Hashirama's direction. "You have not been around as often as you used to be. Don't think your disappearances haven't been noted, least of all when your sister would go too."

"I never asked her to come too," Hashirama explained, he was sitting trying to wrack his brain, had he ever openly invited her to come with him? He just always remembered her wanting to come with him, because it meant spending time with him because she missed him. Hashirama felt guilty for that, Saruyama seemed open for making a new friend, but only wound up in that position because she missed her older brother.

Butsama shook his head, "It doesn't matter if you did or didn't." He said that rather clearly, what was done was done. No matter excuses or explanations would change this situation, or however it was looked at. "You do know who that boy is, do you not? To seek information while trying to make it secret as to why is no easy thing, especially when at the end of the day, we are all dependant on each other." At any point asking around about the boy his son had befriended, Butsama could've had someone questioning him in return as to why. Luckily that never happened, believing he was asking for intel because of some unrelated matter.

With a sigh, Butsama wasn't at all surprised to see Hashirama just fix his expression into something that was both determined and trying so hard to be neutral, as if being here having this conversation wasn't affecting him in the slightest, when it was the opposite. It was so easy to see the turmoil in his son's dark eyes, it wasn't like Butsama took any pleasure from this, this was a worst-case scenario to him, trust him on that. "Madara Uchiha. I have fought against his father many times." Waving a hand Hashirama's way, Butsama just hardened his eyes as he looked at his son fidget. "I don't want to know what your connection to this boy is or was. Just know that if the information got out that you were close to the enemy and did nothing, people would most likely label you a traitor; as I hinted earlier on, you and your foolish actions have endangered us all."

Hashirama pressed his lips into a thin line and looked at his siblings again. Tobirama still looked his usual neutral self, whereas Saruyama looked at him apologetically. "He hasn't activated his sharingan yet, big brother."

"What are you suggesting?" Hashirama looked suddenly pained, though she looked at him sadly, her casual tone and way of saying what she had was too akin to the boy between them.

Tobirama looked up at the ceiling before turning and looking Hashirama's way. "Tactically then, you would have the upper hand. Saruyama said that when you all went to the river, that all you would do is train and talk. He's never beaten you in a fight, correct? So tactically right of this moment, you have the upper hand." Saruyama had never explicitly said that Hashirama always won when they trained, but considering how Hashirama was with them two, when he actually took training seriously, neither of them could touch him, he was always seemingly just attainable to beat or surpass.

"Wait..." Hashirama ran a hand through his hair, the air in the room suddenly felt incredibly hot and thick, his mind was reeling as he looked from his siblings to his father. He was dearly hoping what was being suggested or hinted was actually not being suggested or hinted at all.

Butsama said Hashirama's name in such a way it had him snapping his head to look his father's way with wide eyes. "You find it hard to fathom what is being said? Yet not unfathomable to befriend someone who is our enemy? The Uchiha are our enemies, Hashirama. We have always been enemies, and most likely always will be. I do not know what notions you cooked up, but reality will not match up, believe me on that now."

"We have done just as much damage to them, as they have to us-"

"You are missing the point! I shall say to you, what I said to your sister; if this child was not as forthcoming as you were, what would be the chances of him planning an ambush? If the pair of you got seriously hurt, or worse, what then?"

"He wouldn't..." Hashirama trailed off though he was aware his voice was very quiet. To be honest, the thought had crossed his mind a few times, as he was sure it did for Madara, but both seemed to want to make a go of being friends to put aside differences to try and bond and aim for a better future.

"Why, because he's your friend?" Butsama sounded sceptical, cynical as he rolled his eyes and shook his head. He glanced towards the window, exhaling slowly as he flicked his eyes back at Hashirama. "If the chance arose, could you beat him?" Butsama asked and watched Hashirama think over the question, Butsama looked at his other children who were sitting there with thoughtful expressions of their own. "This is where we go from here, everything that is said in this room stays. No talking to anyone about this, or else we will all be facing worse than a conversation such as this. The next time you see this boy, you will follow him, find where the Uchiha are and return back to us. If he suspects anything at any point, you are to kill him, do you understand?" Butsama stared long and hard at Hashirama, watching as his eyes widened and he silently nodded, it was all he could do. With another nod, Butsama dismissed them all and watched them leave in silence.

Tobirama could only shook his head, Hashirama just looked so distant and lost, Saruyama looked pitying at their older brother, Tobirama wasn't sure what Hashirama was expecting to happen. Surely their father suggesting him kill Madara would've crossed his mind? It seemed, as awful as it was, logical. He left them standing in the corridor and went off to the kitchen, not that it'd help Hashirama process anything any better, but tea could at least calm him a little. Saruyama placed a hand on Hashirama's shoulder, he snapped back to attention and looked down at her, she still looked up at him sadly.

Holding onto his sleeve, Saruyama tugged him in the opposite way to Tobirama, opening a door and stepping onto the engawa, she sat down and hung her legs over the edge and watched him sit too. Tobirama would no doubt come and find them, although them two being alone was probably making him paranoid, he wouldn't put it past them to scheme up or try and think of a loophole.

"You really had to say anything and everything you knew, Saru." Hashirama said slowly, turning and looking at her with an awkward expression.

Saruyama blinked and looked up at the sky, she sighed softly. "You can dislike me for gathering information on Madara, if you want. But predominantly, no matter my thoughts and feelings on him, he was always going to wind up on the opposite side to us. The moment he hinted to me who he was, I soon realised that his eyes never changed; and that was because he was without his sharingan. Either he was very controlled or hadn't got it yet. From experience of fighting other Uchiha his age, they seem all the more willing to show off their eyes." Saruyama explained simply while looking at him with a troubled expression. "He's never beaten you, Hashirama. Father wanted to know everything. Knowing you had always beaten Madara in training...it's horrid to see how much joy that gave him." Not physically, but she could remember their father's eyes lighting up at that.

Hashirama looked up at the sky too and leaned his hands against his knees. He thought over what she said, she had good points, which had him tilting his head to look at her. Saruyama didn't look comfortable with what she said, no matter how honest she was. "He was probably doing the same to us, you know? So how could I harbour any ill will against you? You're my sister, I put you in this position, so I should be saying sorry to you."

Saruyama smiled softly, "I followed you, Hashirama. You're my big brother, we'll always follow you, right, Tobirama?" Saruyama tilted her head back and smiled at the open doorway behind her. Hashirama turned and looked at Tobirama standing there, tray in hand. Tobirama just rolled his eyes, Hashirama hadn't noticed him whereas he had to say Saruyama's sensing was getting steadily better and better.

Sitting down and placing the tray down, Tobirama held a steaming cup out to each of them before picking his own up and looking their way. Both seemed to be waiting to hear his answer, Tobirama narrowed his eyes slowly. "Even into ridiculous situations that you need pulling out of. Yes, we will follow you." Tobirama paused and watched Hashirama hang his head sadly, he swore even a little whimper came from him. "Don't stay like that too long, the tea will go cold." Tobirama turned away from his momentarily depressed brother to watch a few birds sail through the air.

Saruyama laughed, blowing off steam she sipped at the cup slowly. "It's a nasty business this," she said quietly, Tobirama just found himself nodding while Hashirama slowly lifted his head up and looked at her. Saruyama smiled sympathetically, being put in a position to kill his friend, Saruyama couldn't help but feel pained for him. "No matter what happens, we'll be here for the aftermath, big brother."

Hashirama turned the cup in his hands, nursing it as he looked down at his reflection in the dark liquid, the steam was still wispily trailing up and into the air before dissipating. "Do you think father will ever trust me again?" It was something which had caused him to feel this horrid weight drop in his stomach, Butsama had looked ashamed and disappointed, Hashirama presumed he sent similar looks Saruyama's way too.

Saruyama perked up and looked at him with a lopsided smile, "Father says that one day you'll be our leader, so I'd say yes, he has trust in you."

"Eh?" Hashirama just came out with a senseless noise while his wide eyes blinked slowly, he was trying to process those words and couldn't quite grasp onto them. Him, leader? Clan leader? That had his brain just short-circuiting for a moment.

Tobirama shut his eyes and nodded slowly before opening his eyes and looking sidelong at his older brother. Tilting his lips in the slightest of smirks, Tobirama couldn't help but admit his brother's floundering over this amusing. To everyone it was the obvious move, apparently not to Hashirama, clearly the thought never crossed his mind. "I'm not sure you were meant to tell him that yet, Saru."

She looked baffled before looking between her brothers, shrugging she decided what was said was said, she couldn't take it back. Hashirama sipped at his drink and the three sat there in silence for several moments. "You two won't listen to me though." Hashirama said eventually, he sighed sadly and tilted his head.

Saruyama scoffed and Tobirama rolled his eyes, "Of course not, you don't always come out with the most sensible of things." Tobirama decided, watching as Saruyama sat there nodding her head, they loved their brother, but he could be a bit too much of a daydreamer.

Saruyama reached up and patted Hashirama on the shoulder. "We'll leave you to the idealism, we'll be the realists."

Hashirama frowned and laughed suddenly, "You are not a realist! You're as bad as me sometimes."

"Sometimes, emphasis on sometimes!" Saruyama exclaimed, she could humour some daydreams but then the logistics of things would kick in and she'd then just pragmatically pick things apart. She didn't mind humouring her brother, but she did sometimes air more on the side of caution. Just, not always if she got swept up in Hashirama and Madara's little dream of a peaceful utopia living side by side with each other.

"Least she takes a moment to think things over and doesn't just run into a situation." Tobirama stated, watching Hashirama hang his head again. "Not everyone is our friend, big brother. Just remember that what father said was true; the Uchiha are our enemies, but so are many more. It isn't a bad thing to want to forge alliances, but it won't work with everyone, just don't ever forget that."

"So, you think father's suggestion is a sound one?" Hashirama nursed his cup again, purposely not looking at his siblings.

"Would you rather it be you? Do you think the Uchiha haven't thought of finding out who you are too? It would be the logical step to take. If we noticed you always disappearing, no doubt it was noticed for him too." Tobirama said while watching as Saruyama stretched her legs out and clicked her ankles, the noise sounded like it hurt but she just let out a relieved sound. Tobirama frowned at her, way to ruin a serious conversation with her clinking joints. She just awkwardly smiled his way before drinking some of her tea.

Hashirama understood what his brother was saying, he didn't reply to him and tuned out of the conversation him and Saruyama were suddenly having. It was logical, Tobirama was right, no doubt by now the Uchiha knew who Hashirama was, regardless of anything they were aware to him, and he'd be a target which meant that his siblings would be too. Madara had one brother left, that he wished to protect above anything else, and Hashirama was much the same; if the Uchiha started to target both Tobirama and Saruyama, more than usual that is, then nothing and no one would stop him from protecting them.

Even if that came at the cost of who he considered to be a friend, no matter what, Madara would always be a friend, but Hashirama looked up at the sky and found himself frowning again. He just wasn't sure he could kill a friend, he wasn't sure if Madara felt the same, but Hashirama knew that fighting with the intention to end Madara's life would be one of the worst experiences he was likely going to feel; it felt surreal, like it would be the end of something, and that something was the childish naivety that they could've been left alone at the river in blissful ignorance to any and all. 

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(A/N: This is seems like the only thing my brain will allow me to focus on writing. I am also sorry I am really prolonging the ambush thing...maybe next chapter?)