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13 | Winter

A/N: hey guys, quick question: did you see my new note in 'Prologue'? If not yet, then please read it. I just thought you should know 😊

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It’s a ridiculous idea, there’s no other word for it.

Hashirama could only imagine what he’d looked like when he slipped in the flower pots in his house. Mito is in the same house, and Hashirama is relieved that it’s now late in the night and that she’s already asleep in her room. No one saw him carrying the three flower pots inside the house and bringing them inside his own room.

When he placed the pots on the windowsill, he immediately brought the wilted Sakurasou flowers back to life. There’s a wave of soothing bliss that washed over him afterwards, although it didn’t last long, for he spent the following hours staring at the now-in-full-bloom flowers, questioning what he’d just did.

The next very early morning finds him curled up in his futon, still in his haori and kimono shirt and pants that he wore the day before, and feeling like an absolute idiot because apparently, he’d fallen asleep last night staring at the stupid flowers and thus, he unintentionally left the windows open. He also finds out that what had waken him up was the cold—it’s only two weeks away from winter.

With a loud groan, he gets up to close the windows. Dumb move, because the moment his body left the warmth of his futon, the crisp cool air welcomed him. He quickly grabs his blanket and wraps it around his body.

On second thought, he doesn’t feel like closing the windows anymore. He’s already awake, and weeks of waking up at an ungodly hour such as now have taught him that he won’t be able to get back to sleep.

It’s still dark outside when he goes to the Hokage Tower. He doesn’t have any unfinished work left from yesterday, but he thinks he can find something to do in his office before he goes back to his house to have breakfast with Mito approximately two hours from now.

He’s in the middle of scribbling on a scroll when Tobirama surprisingly arrives to his office and breaks a disturbing news.

They don’t have to think about it further: the Mizukage being dead means that the chance that they’ll seal an alliance with Kirigakure is close to impossible. Still, Hashirama hopes that they can do something about it, although he doesn’t know how yet at this point.

“Then I suppose we have to call an emergency meeting with the other clan heads?” he asks needlessly. He already knows that Tobirama will agree, the said meeting must be their next step.

However, Tobirama stays silent instead of giving any response. He stays motionless in front of his desk, his eyes glued to the floor. Hashirama thought something’s wrong with his brother and that he might have overlooked a wound or injury earlier. But after visually examining him one more time, he’s a hundred percent sure that nothing is wrong with him, physiologically speaking that is, except for the apparent fatigue and mild dehydration (and of course he needs to eat, too).

It’s only after looking closely that Hashirama finally realizes, “Hey, Tobi, it’s not your fault,” he comforts him, knowing that Tobirama must have been taking it all upon himself. What happened in Kirigakure, they didn’t see it coming. “We’ll come up with a solution sooner or later. Don’t blame yourself,” he adds, voice soft and full of reassurance.

Tobirama’s jaw tenses, a clear confirmation that what Hashirama assumes he’s thinking about is true. “I’m sorry, anija.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” he repeats, giving him a small smile. He walks closer and gently pats his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re safe.”