Summary: The point has come in Hashirama's life when he has to choose between the good of the village and his personal feelings, but he'd rather not give up on either. Cannonish AU, HashiMada

A/N: This is my attempt at a "happy ending AU" where Madara doesn't leave Konoha, because there's a limit to the tragedy of this pairing I can stomach. Will be quite a few chapters long.

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It's the Small Things

(That Change the World)

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"...would be beneficial, don't you think? As for the Shimura clan, they should fall under the same category as..."

Hashirama dropped his hand back on the table with a resigned sigh. He raised it minutes ago, in a vain attempt to interrupt his brother. Tobirama was in full arrangement mode - it was easier to let him carry on and sort out everything he deemed important when he was like this. It was better for both of them if he didn't interfere; the younger Senju was happy if things went in a direction he thought good and Hashirama didn't mind at all if the bother of dealing with a million little, but still important things was not up to him. They honestly made his life as the Hokage way more bitter than it should have been.

"...set a regular visiting hour. You can't afford to waste your time on everyone's torn toe in the village."

"Yeah, I've been thinking that it's not too late to ditch this whole leader-of-the-village thing, just to be rid of everyone's complaints" he grinned at the white haired man. The red eyes regarded him without amusement.

"Very funny. So as I've been saying..."

He sighed again and gave up listening. Tobirama was good in this, he was confident he would make the right decision without his opinion (not that he asked for it anyway) - so he just nodded and hmm-ed at the appropriate places and otherwise let his mind wander. He had more pleasant things to consider whether the Naras, who recently joined their alliance, were happy with the neighbourhood they got or if the dogs of the Inuzuka clan were bothering the Hyuugas or not. Like the very pleasant time he spent with Madara last night. His lover was more relaxed and open than usual and Hashirama cherished these rare occasions. The corners of his mouth pulled upwards into am involuntary smile, so he quickly hid it behind his clasped hands to hide it from his brother. He hadn't got much sleep, but he didn't mind. The memory of long, lean legs pressing against his sides, slender, wicked fingers pulling his hair and sharp white teeth sinking into his shoulder made up for that. He had a bruise there, carefully hidden under the formal clothes he wore to his office.

Tobirama was looking at him expectantly so he quickly nodded and said "hmm, sure." His brother's eyebrows rose in annoyance, a sure sign of that he didn't manage to fool him, but he still continued on with his monologue.

"...another good candidate. Still, I think we're best to choose the Uzumakis. It's a good idea to strengthen the bond with them."

"Yes..."

It'd been rocky for a while, after - just as Tobirama predicted - he was voted to become the first Hokage of Konoha. He still felt ill at ease with that - he maintained that Madara would have made an excellent - much scrupulous than him - leader, but no one else seemed to share his opinion. He didn't think he was partial because of their special, err... status. No, he truly believed the Uchiha was a better man than him, with all the care he had for his people. The loss of his brothers made him bitter, but he could understand that. If he was given the opportunity to take responsibility for a new family - such as their village - he would change. But that wasn't an option any longer. He had to think of something else. He wanted Madara to be happy and satisfied with his life...

"... so the sooner the better you visit Uzushiogakure. I heard the girl is rather pretty - a redhead of course. She's said to have a few powerful techniques of her own, but I'm sure there's a lot you can learn from her father as well. Mito's her name."

"Sounds great. Who's she by the way?"

Tobirama blinked as the question cut him off and Hashirama realized he just gave himself away. He obviously missed an important part before.

"Your bride-to-be," the younger man said dryly after a minute of uncomfortable silence.

"But I don't want to get married!"

"Too bad - you will."

"Listen brother," he stood and stepped close up to the other. As Tobirama was one of the two men who was never intimidated by his presence this didn't had the desired effect. He could see the annoyance in the crimson eyes clearly. "I appreciate your intentions, but I'm not about to marry this Mito or anyone else, really. It's not your place to decide..."

"Hashirama," the albino put a heavy hand on his shoulder and stared at him with grim determination. "It's unavoidable in your position. Such a marriage will strengthen your, and so the whole village's status. As the eldest brother, as the leader of our clan, as the leader of the allied clans - you have to get a wife. A political marriage - you had to know it was coming, right?"

"Still, I'd like to choose my..."

"You're obviously not going to find an appropriate candidate by yourself, I know how you're like," Tobirama pressed on as if he didn't hear him. "You're an idealist and sometimes just fail at practical things. As father is not with us any more, I felt I had to take matters into my own hand, so I wrote to Mito's father, who's actually the leader of..."

"You've what?" Even Tobirama couldn't ignore the indignation in his voice this time so he fell silent. "You shouldn't have! I'm not about to take this unknown woman - your interference will cause us trouble..."

"You're not going to refuse brother, because this is what you have to do..."

"I have someone!"

"Well," the nerve under the younger Senju's eye twitched as he set his chin up in defiance, "she is obviously not suitable to become your wife."

"Actually..."

"I don't want to know!" Tobirama interrupted, louder than necessary. "We all have our desires, and I really don't care how you satisfy your, ehh... urges, but marriage is something completely different."

"My urges? You shouldn't meddle with certain things, brother. I hoped you outgrown this habit."

"Don't be an idiot! It's not meddling - I'm just not blind! Lucky that the rest of the village is, especially when it comes to you."

"You think you can dictate..."

"Think about your responsibilities, your duties! Use your brain - that would make you a better Hokage! You're not eighteen any more, to let your prick make your decisions."

"Tobirama!" the dark haired Senju cried, honestly scandalized, "How can you even say that?"

"Oh, don't play innocent with me! I don't even want to begin to imagine what you and that... him... are up to behind closed doors!"

"This conversation ends here," He strengthened his spine, trying to look more authoritative, not that it ever worked with his busybody brother. They were almost equal in height so he couldn't even use his tallness as an advantage, which had an involuntary effect on most people. "I'm not discussing my relationship with Madara with you, and I'm definitely not getting married to some unknown girl."

"Your relationship? Relationship! Don't call it a relationship! You can't possibly have a relationship with..."

"Would you stop repeating...?!"

"No, I won't!" Still he fell silent and glared at his brother, obviously fuming. He had inherited their father's temper - he definitely didn't take much after their mum, who had been a firm but kind woman. Hashirama was now angry himself. It wasn't like this how he wanted to break the news about Madara and him. No, in all honestly, he didn't plan to have this discussion at all, but Tobirama was always too smart and a too good observer for his own good. Actually now that it was out in the open he felt relieved. He didn't like to keep secrets from those who were important to him. He just wished the younger man wouldn't look so furious and disgusted by it.

"Tobirama, listen," he started, keeping his voice even, "I understand it's a shock, and I know you don't... approve. But you have to respect my decision."

"You know what, brother? I've been respecting your decisions in all my life, even if they were beyond my comprehension. You wanted to keep him alive, you were ready to take your own life on his wish, you declared this village was your common dream, though I never heard of that before - I didn't think they made sense, but what could I do? But just as wanting to make him the Hokage was too much, this is over the top as well. Declining such a beneficial marriage with only that... Uchiha as the reason? There's too much at stake for that! Too many lives would be affected and you can't afford that!

"But..."

"Would you just open your eyes?!" Tobirama snarled, "Why can't you see how he is? Even his own clan have chosen you over him - you must know the reason for that! He's cracked, dangerous, unpredictable and definitely taking advantage of your softness!"

"That's enough," Hashirama's voice was calm, emotionless. His brother understood the warning behind the tone quite well and fell silent. It was not something he ever used with him, but probably he heard it on the battlefields enough to know what it meant. "You won't talk about him like that. I know my responsibilities, but I'm not about to sacrifice my personal feelings on the line of duty. We are strong enough already, and we can make allies by other means as well."

Tobirama didn't reply for a while. He stared at somewhere over his left shoulder with a frown between his brows, as if trying to come up with the best words. Giving that up, he raked his fingers through his hair and shook his head.

"Do you even hear yourself? You do so much for our people already, no one disputes that, but when it comes to him, you're ready to throw away everything on a whim. How can the two of you be more important than the good of the whole village?"

"I don't feel I have to choose between the two."

"That's only because you don't see clearly! Why him, brother? You could have anyone - why him, who so obviously doesn't return your affection? Who certainly doesn't deserve it?"

"Don't say that!" his voice was firm, not belying the bit of doubt that crept into his heart. His brother's accusation resonated with his own fears deep inside. He wanted to believe Madara cared for him, but he didn't have much proof of that. But he didn't want to show his sudden uncertainty. "You don't know a thing about him. You're the one who don't see clearly because of all your prejudices!"

"This is worse than I thought!" Tobirama shook a warning finger in front of his face. "Tell me - what does he know to bewitch you so completely?" If he didn't count their trainings together, they hadn't fought since they were kids, but Hashirama now had the urge to grab his ear and teach him he should respect his age and position. But he wasn't ten any more, and even back then this method never got anything through to his brother's thick head.

"I'm not discussing my sex life with you!" He flushed realizing a second too late Tobirama might have not meant that at all.

"Bah! As if I wanted you to!" By the face he made, he actually looked ten for a second and that always made Hashirama forgive him a lot of things

"Listen, why can't you just let this go?" he asked, trying to be placating.

"I'll stop for now, 'cause there're mental images I'm not prepared to deal with," the younger man grumbled, "but we're far from finished!"

When finally left alone, Hashirama sat at his desk for a long time, staring ahead, but unseeing. Political battles, family quarrels, tactical arrangements - he wasn't fit for these. He was made to fight in war - why did he ever thought that he could lead a village? It was a hundred times harder than anything he did before.

TBC…