.

.

"I wonder," Madara says quietly, "if Izuna would think of this as a betrayal?"

Hashi looks up. Madara is standing in front of the little shrine, burning a stick of incense. She rests her hand on her belly and doesn't say anything, just watches quietly as Madara stares into the shadows.

"Perhaps it would have been better if I died," Madara says. He speaks with his back turned toward her, looking at the shrine. "Perhaps it would have been better if you killed me."

The stick of incense burns, bright orange ash gathering beneath the curling white smoke.

Hashi frowns and rubs her belly. There isn't anything she can say when he gets like this. His darkened moods, his feelings of guilt for his betrayal. Izuna made him promise to protect their clan, and now Madara's married to his enemy's leader.

She doesn't need reassurances. She's secure in their relationship; she knows Madara loves her. At the same time, she knows he hates himself for his weakness, for not honoring the memory of his brother.

She starts to leave quietly, to give him space for his private moment, when she feels it: a series of light fluttering in her belly, her baby swimming inside her.

It's the first time she's felt the baby kick. She walks quickly back to the shrine. "Anata, feel this," Hashi says, and she grabs Madara's hand, pressing it urgently against her belly. "The baby's kicking. Can you feel it?"

"I-" Madara stops. A kick. A small little push against his hand.

"We can feel our baby." Hashi beams at him.

Madara stares at her belly. He's quiet for a long moment, his palm flat against her belly. He bows his head, his hair covering his eyes, and Hashi realizes he is crying. She sees the tears rolling down his face.

"Anata?"

"Tch." He wipes his eyes and looks up at her. "The smoke from the incense," he says. "It was getting in my eyes."

She looks up at him, all the love and compassion in her heart aching for him. She wraps her arms around him, leaning her head against his chest. She feels him hesitantly lift his hand, before resting it across her shoulder.