Aiko wap 22 preview: talk with Izuna (420 words)

As soon as Madara was out of earshot, Izuna dropped part of the cheerful façade. "You wish to prevent the battle?" He was serious, but his eyes were soft. All his focus was on her. It was a heady feeling.

She stopped walking to give him her full attention. "I should try," she said.

Izuna's eyes softened. "It's admirable. But they will not listen to reason." He reached out towards her sleeve and then pulled his hand back before he could touch her.  
Aiko followed the motion with her eyes. "You saw how their envoy acted. With no evidence or conversation and only a moment's observation, she accused us of a manipulative campaign."

Aiko clasped her hands together. She needed to do something with them. "I'm not worried about them," she said, not really sure what to say but uneasy with the idea of Izuna being afraid for her safety. "It probably won't come to violence."

His eyes sharpened. "But you have cause to believe they won't be amenable?"

It was a reach, but- "I encountered one of them already," Aiko admitted. Izuna's insight was a little spooky. She hadn't told Madara that.

Izuna paused for a moment. "The second born," he said. His tone was even and without any of the anger he definitely had for Tobirama. "The eldest rarely leaves their compound, and no one lesser would speak on their behalf."

Aiko had a brief moment of concern that Izuna might be brighter than she gave him credit for. "You're right," she said, and wondered if it mattered.

Izuna swallowed. She watched the motion in his throat. He was close enough to touch.

The moment hung in the air. She inhaled quietly and watched his face.

Eventually, he took a step back. "Be careful," Izuna said. He looked away through his eyelashes. "Our border with them is this direction. Do you see that treeline?"

Whatever had been going on in the subtext of their conversation was gone. Aiko listened to his directions, thanked him more politely than she would normally speak to him, and tried not to let his doubts affect her judgment.

The Senju were as integral to the culture that had made her as the Uchiha were. She'd met two who were unreasonable. That didn't mean anything about the clan as a whole.

'He's just so convincing,' Aiko decided. 'Between Izuna and Madara, Izuna has the charm and ability to persuade. They were born in the wrong order.'

She put thoughts of the Uchiha aside.