"I told you, I don't know where- What?" Tobirama whirled as someone new stepped into the clearing, and Madara moved to his back, eyes narrowing as he looked them over - unfamiliar, but wearing a Konoha hitai-ate.

"Nidaime?" the boy - a Nara, Madara would have been willing to bet - stared with steadily widening eyes, gaze darting between them as he began to shake his head.

"What?" Madara seconded, glaring, resting his fingertips low on Tobirama's back in reassurance . . . however upset he was by yet another unpredictable mess caused by one of his lover's experiments.

~

Shikamaru heard a strange sound ahead of him, but wasn't terribly bothered by it - Konoha's forests were often full of strange sounds - until he stepped into a clearing and found two strangers there. It only took an instant to realise stranger wasn't the right word, brilliant red eyes meeting his as the Nidaime turned to face him, and then, moving quickly behind him and making him choke with alarm, Uchiha Madara.

. . .who rested a light hand on the Nidaime's back, which he leaned into subtly, even as they both watched Shikamaru with wary, assessing eyes; Shikamaru groaned and covered his face with one hand.