Izuna: Can we meet at 3 pm? I would like to talk to you before the dinner.

I smiled at the text message. I liked Izuna a lot

Me: What can it be you desire to talk to me about that you can't take with one of your many, many friends?

Izuna: I need someone who knows Tobirama.

Oh... I was suddenly worried. It seemed to me he needed to talk about the reason for their fight.

My phone pinged again.

Izuna: Also, don't sell yourself short! You're amazing to talk to. It's not like you're my last resort.

I blushed. Izuna was three years Tobirama's junior, making him eight years younger than me. I had always been incredibly protective of Izuna, in some cases even more so than of my own little brother. My brother was all hard edges, while Izuna was softness throughout his soul; maybe, that was the reason. 

We decided to meet up in the city park for a walk together. When I arrived, dressed in a soft caramel coat against the autumn cold, my hair freshly washed, Izuna was already there. He stood with his back to me, his long hair up in its usual low ponytail, blowing in the autumn wind. His dark coat and trousers were a stark contrast to the oranges of the seasons. I couldn't help but smile as I went and stood behind him.

"Hi", I said warmly.

He turned around, and upon seeing me, his entire face broke out into a smile. He hugged me. Izuna's hugs were out of this world because they were so genuine. He reached only my chest, which I found oddly comforting. When he released me from the hug after a long, long time, we started walking.

Izuna had always been a physical being. The first time I had met him, at a party where both me and Tobirama were invited, I had noticed Izuna greeted his friends, boys and girls and non-binaries alike, with great physical affection. Tobirama, whom I'd always seen as quite insecure, seemed surprisingly at ease with this, having his arm casually slung across Izuna's shoulders, kissing him from time to time, seemingly not seeing when Izuna greeted someone else with a kiss on the cheek or a hand on their waist.

I had talked to Tobirama about it afterwards.

"Doesn't it bother you?"

Tobirama had looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Why would it? I have chosen him. It's my responsibility to accept him the way he is."

It was so beautifully said, I had cried when I came home. Despite, there was no doubt that Izuna was infatuated with his then-new boyfriend.

I looked at Izuna now, so much more mature then when I'd first met him, a husband at the mere age of twenty-seven. He was looking straight ahead, clearly wanting to say something.

Something suddenly struck me.

"Izuna", I said softly. He looked at me with his warm, brown eyes. "This is the first time we are with each other alone. What you want to tell me must be of great importance."

"I guess", he said, the crunch of the dry leaves we stepped on  providing a contrasting backdrop to his soft voice. "Hashi..." I turned to him. He was the only one who called me that. "Have Tobirama told you we fought?" he asked.

"He did", I said. "Most people fight."

"But this was... This was bad. I mean, we're not on bad terms now, T and I. We've invited you for dinner and we've cooked together for it since lunch."

"Thank you", I said, but Izuna waved it away.

"I just... I just need to talk to someone else who knows him. Who loves him."

"Tell me", I told him.

He did.

"My brother..." I frowned; Izuna has never mentioned a brother before. "My brother and I haven't had contact for years. Last time was before me and T met. He..." Izuna looked uncomfortable. "We don't get along. I've told T everything about it. But a month ago, he reached out. My brother reached out." Izuna got a dream-like expression on his face. "And I have met him. But..." Izuna looked sad, looking straight ahead as we kept walking in the autumn park. "He still has the same problems that made us fall out to begin with. But I still feel like I want to form a bond with him. He's my brother!" he exclaimed, and suddenly turned to look at me in desperation. "Is that so wrong?"

"Does Tobirama think it's wrong?" I asked softly.

"He was furious! He was..." Izuna swallowed as his voice cracked. "He was so angry", he finished in a whisper. 

I was quiet for a while, a technique I used when taking peoples confessions, and this seemed to be one, to see if Izuna would say anything on his own accord. When he didn't, I spoke.

"First of all", I began. "You're not in danger, are you?"

Izuna looked confused. Then, when he realised I was referring to anything dodgy going on with his brother, he shook his head.

"No. Just emotionally tired."

I felt relieved.

"Good. Well, Tobirama is a very logical man. He has strong feelings, but his brain has his heart in an iron grip. As opposed to you, where I suspect it's the other way around." Izuna smiled a little at this, his little way of letting me know he agreed. "I believe if Tobirama doesn't support you in seeing your brother, it may be because he believes you're in actual danger of being harmed, in whatever way." Izuna considered this. "Have you tried being very clear with him about what you need? That you need support from him in meeting your brother, no matter the state your brother is in?"

Izuna shook his head.

"He said it's hard to see me suffer because he loves me so much", Izuna whispered.

I felt that pang in my heart again, that pang of jealousy, but forced it away. This wasn't about me. It wasn't even about my little brother. It was about Izuna, and only Izuna.

"One solution would be to end your suffering, as I suspect Tobirama suggests, by not seeing your brother." Izuna nodded. "Is that an option for you?" Izuna shook his head. "There you go, then. So either, Tobirama has learn to handle your suffering. Or he has to support you to make seeing your brother as easy for you as possible." Or leave, which I hope he doesn't do.

Suddenly, Izuna linked his arm through mine.

"You're great, Hashirama", he said, leaning his little face on my arm which made my heart melt. "You make everything so easy.

Then why is my life so hard?

We could have looked like a real couple then as we walked arm-in-arm. I did not hate the feeling. We small-talked for a bit, until Izuna exclaimed it was time to go to dinner, and that he was starving.

And we walked to the home of him and his husband.

And I had no clue that what would happen at the dinner would change me, would open my heart, forever.

It begins here...