Senju Tobirama is often described as strict—cruel in the journals of Uchiha, innovative— idea stealing in the journals of Uchiha, honest— rude and condescending in the journals of Uchiha, and a force to be reckoned with. He was the second son of Senju Butsuma, the only son who had silver hair and eyes associated with the devil. Growing up, Tobirama learns to ignore the whispers or the looks they gave him. The war was more important. His brothers' lives were more important. So he trains. He trains as hard as he could and fought as many as he could yet two of his brother still ended up returning in small caskets. 

Growing up, Tobirama learns early on that death was always at his doorstep; not for him but for his family. With Itama's birth, death collected the first soul— his mother. The young woman who had cared for him for the first 5 years of his life was gone within a night. The second soul Death collected was his second younger brother Kawarama. Kawarama was 8, only two years younger than Tobirama when he had fought bravely against a group of Uchihas. His body was found mutilated and marked with the Uchiha's crest. Tobirama's anguish and hatred for the Uchiha grew. Then came Itama's turn, his youngest brother. Itama was 7—the same age Tobirama had been when he first joined the war. Itama's head was found on a stake alongside 3 other Senju children who have also been missing for a couple of days. Despite discovering the 4 heads with no body to mourn for or have a proper funeral ceremony— it had been a warning the Senju ignored. It had been a warning Senju Butsuma stubbornly ignored despite Hashirama's pestering of retreating. 

Because to Butsuma, to retreat means to give up and to give up means to lose the war. After all, Senju Butsuma has a pride and value to uphold and it was not Hashirama's turn yet to decide on the fate of the clan. So he orders every household to send those who are 7 years and above to train and prepare themselves for war. It was fair to say Hashirama had not agreed with his father's decision. Butsuma was soon notified that his eldest had not been attending his post or training yet the boy had left home as he usually did. 

So where did he go? That was up to Tobirama to find out.

When Butsuma had ordered Tobirama to spy on his only remaining brother's whereabouts, Tobirama had been nervous. Hashirama was all they had left—was all he had left and to see him—the future of Senju interacting with a boy who was clearly an Uchiha— the same kind that put two of their younger brothers in a casket was absolutely horrifying. 

Traitorous thoughts filled the younger Senju at once.

How long had Hashirama interacted with the Uchiha?

Had Hashirama given away any of their clan secrets?

Did Hashirama betray them?

But Tobirama was not one to rush to conclusions. Upon observing his naive older brother a little longer, it was obvious the Senju heir had not given away any of their secrets or even his own identity. The two oblivious boys were only interacting as if there wasn't any war—skipping stones at the edge of the river dreaming of a world with no war.

Anger curls in Tobirama like a blazing inferno, because how dare he? How could Hashirama pretend as if there was never any war? It was all as if their siblings had not been cruelly slaughtered by the kind he was sitting beside as they spout nonsense about a new world— a new community that he wishes he could create. 

And yet for a moment— a moment that Tobirama is ashamed to admit, he falls for their promises of a better world. A community where everyone could interact with each other peacefully. A community where children would not have to worry about war. A harmonious and prosperous village. 

Tobirama thinks of Kawarama and Itama. A world where children like them did not need to fight. How nice would it be to see his younger brother smile again? How nice would it be if he could stop fighting? 

And as the laughter of his older brother and his Uchiha friend echoes in the background, Tobirama turns. He has seen enough. He leaves to report to his father. Tobirama might have felt an ounce of guilt but it all disappears when he sees Hashirama returned home with a flushed face and bright smile.

Greeting the smiling boy was Senju Butsuma—their father and the current leader of their clan.

"Where have you been?" Butsuma's rough tone makes the older boy flinch but Butsuma does not care.

"I was out training." An excuse Hashirama had made up and used the past weeks slips past his lips easily and yet the moment it did, the boy felt a stinging burn on his cheek. 
Butsuma lowered his hand and turns away from his oldest son, "You dare to lie to me?" He questions calmly

Hashirama stays quiet despite the humiliation that fills him.

"Your younger brother had told me something interesting today," Butsuma pauses to meet Hashirama's brown eyes, "Our clan heir had been making friends with an Uchiha out of all people!" He spats

Hashirama grew pale as the realisation dawns upon him, "He is not an— I didn't know!" 

It would have made a lot of sense though. From Madara's black hair and onyx eyes—and the fact he could relate to and understand Hashirama's wishes and dreams. Perhaps a part of Hashirama already knows this but is still holding on to false hope that Madara isn't an Uchiha. 

"What have you been telling him? What did you tell him?!" Butsuma was getting more and more frantic, his tone rising as fast as his temper was. 

What would the elders think of this? How could Butsuma's leadership still be trusted after this?  Who else knows of his son's absence?  Would they use this information against them—against him?

"Chichi-Ue, please I swear I did not tell him anything about us." Hashirama pleads earnestly but Butsuma has had enough of him today. The boy will be dealt with another day. 

"Leave, Hashirama. Stay in your room until I call for you. You have done enough."Butsuma orders and his words are final.

The next time Hashirama was called to see his father was during a clan meeting— announcing an attack on the Uchiha with the information Hashirama had oh-so-conveniently provided them. Hashirama was initially frozen at the new revelation. But with the strong grip on his shoulder and his father's stern gaze behind him, Hashirama could only play along with the idea—receiving praises for successfully infiltrating and avenging their brothers and sisters.

Deep inside, Hashirama is horrified. How did it end up like this?

"This is your punishment." His father reminds him as he hands Hashirama his own personal Katana that had been passed down generation by generation. The Katana that Hashirama would use to slay the boy he has been meeting—the boy he has been bonding and sharing dreams with. "Tobirama, assist your brother with his armour."

Like the dutiful perfect responsible son he was—the son Hashirama wasn't, Tobirama receives that order and approaches his brother to assist him with his armour. This will be the first time they talk since Tobirama reported his traitorous activities to their father.

"Your selfish actions may have cost us the clan. We are lucky Chichi-Ue managed to reverse the damage." Tobirama chided his brother easily, which only further dampen the older boy's mood.

Hashirama's silence only fuels Tobirama's chiding. Because Hashirama did not know of the two people who had to sacrifice their lives for him. He did not know that Tobirama was ordered to remove two of their own because they had knowledge of his absence. He did not know that Tobirama had to fake two deaths of their own because of him.

"Have you forgotten our brothers' sacrifice, anija?" Because it was as if their efforts didn't matter to you, Tobirama thinks, "How do you know if he wasn't the one who slaughtered them?" He adds on, genuinely curious about his brother's thoughts.

Hashirama's head had never snapped up faster, "Madara wouldn't!"

And there it was, Hashirama's weakness. His new friend. Not the clan, not the family and certainly not Tobirama.

"So it's Madara now? He has manipulated you far enough, anija." Tobirama shakes his head in disappointment as he assists his brother to put on his last piece of armour. He is not ashamed to admit that he feels bitter that Hashirama had quickly defended an outsider. "He would if it's for his clan— if it's for his family." Because I would do it for you and because I did— for you Tobirama thinks

"Tobi, please. I was tired of the war. I was tired of the fighting. And Kawarama and Itama shouldn't have had to fight in the first place!" Hashirama defends himself and Tobirama's eyes narrow in disagreement.

"It was a war!" Tobirama argues. Everything Itama and Kawarama had done were necessary. It was. It had to be.

Hashirama start pacing, and spat out, "A war children like us should not have been involved in."

"Yet we did," Tobirama speaks through clenched teeth.

"We did," Hashirama acknowledges it but shakes his head, " But it didn't have to end up like this." 

Tobirama lets out an uncharacteristic snort, "It had to. Either that or chichi-ue would be labelled as a traitor." And you'd be hanged, Tobirama adds in his mind

Couldn't his brother see his way? The risk he is taking can affect not only their family but the survival of their clan.

"No, there must be another way..." Hashirama trails off, gazing at his hand pensively. Tobirama could only frown. There was nothing else he could say when Hashirama was like this. 

When Hashirama finally stands to leave with a determined look in his eye, he turned once more to Tobirama, "You wouldn't understand, Tobi."

He leaves the younger Senju alone.

Tobirama stood silently, staring at the spot his brother previously sat. The once serious aloof expression Tobirama usually holds, crumbles. He pretends his visions are not blurred with unshed tears filled with bitter frustration and anger, he pretends his heart did not clench tightly at his brother's words and he refuses to acknowledge that he took 5 minutes to recollect himself for the battle of the night. 

Because regardless of what his brother thinks, tonight will be the night the Uchiha boy dies. 

Little did Tobirama know that this was not the end. No, it was only the beginning.

::

"I know this isn't right, but I want to look at you one more time, brother." Tobirama dolefully says as his hands quickly go through the signs that he has familiarised himself with for months. 

Tiger, Snake, Dog...

Tobirama pauses when he reaches the final hand seal. Hesitation and doubts fill him. All he had to do was a dragon hand seal.

But as Tobirama stumbles on the last hand sign, he remembers their short-lived argument when they were younger. That had been the start of it, wasn't it? 

The start of  Konoha. The start of the will of fire. The start of his brother's downfall. But Hashirama doesn't see it that way. Of course, he doesn't.

'You wouldn't understand, Tobi.' 

How many times has he heard that line since then?

How many times has he wondered if he would ever understand the man before him?

How many times has he wondered if it was his turn to be understood instead?

Would his brother understand the reason he's doing this?

No, he decided. Hashirama would never go against the word of Shinigami. His hands that were halfway going through the final hand seal drop to his side. Tobirama drops to his knees with his hands on his head. He couldn't possibly see the look of disappointment his brother might give him if he actually succeed in this. Perhaps he would even think Tobirama is a devil incarnate. Tobirama knows the elders definitely would. Tobirama thinks it would fit the lore and theories they had in their mind. From the silver hair to the curse red eyes, it would make sense. Because only a devil would play with something as fickle as death.

Tobirama scoffs in anger because in the end all of this seems futile. Tobirama sighs but does not forget to add notes of improvement in his journal. 

His efforts may be futile now. But perhaps one day he— or someone else will gain the courage to actually perform the Resurrection Jutsu. 

::

It did not take him long to gain courage. War was on the rise and thus, the following week, Tobirama successfully developed a new attack technique to use alongside the resurrection jutsu. The following month, his first test was successful.

No one questions the number of reduced prisoners.

—To be continued—
No fluff in this chapter but I hope this chapter gives an insight into Tobirama's past.  This chapter exists because I saw someone said this fic was basic so here's me being petty about it and immediately thickening the plot AHAHAH

And here's the age of the Senju brothers for part 1 of this chapter:
Itama died at 7 and would be 7 if he was alive,
Kawarama died at 8, but he would have been 10 if he was alive,
Tobirama is 12,
Hashirama and Madara would be 14.

Also yea, I said fuck canon and decided to rewrite the details. This is my take on what happened so yes it's not the same as manga or anime! I really hope yall can feel how much love Tobi has for Hashirama and could understand both of their perspectives in that short argument they had.

Japanese words used in this chapter:
Chichi-Ue: Honourable father
Anija: Elder brother
Shinigami: God of death

Fun fact: The number 4 is considered unlucky in Chinese and Japanese culture. This is because the number 4 or Shi 四 has the same pronunciation as the word death Shi 死. So that 4 heads that the Uchihas left has been a warning to the Senju, and in a way the Senju brothers could also be considered cursed since birth since they were siblings of 4? Anyway because of this belief, many apartments or hotels do not have the 4th floor. In my country, the 4th floor is commonly replaced with 3A. Followed by 13A for the 14th floor. What are some notable unlucky numbers in your culture?