"I really don't understand how it came to this." Mego gestured helplessly, pacing around the room, unable to stay calm whenever she sat near Madara. "Brother in law—Gods, I don't even know what to call you anymore!" She sighed shakily, brushing her fingers through her hair, tempted to curse when her clumsy, loose braid she made herself became undone.

"I do have a name."

"I know, just…" She paused and faced him, allowing her eyes to gaze upon him. Madara. She imagined actually calling him that to his face and it seemed almost disrespectful. Brother in law was endearing, respectful and gentle. "When did you decide you want to take me as your wife?"

Thinking of all the implications of that decision, a sudden rush of excitement went though her, her body felt weak and ticklish on the inside because of it, yet, at the same time, her throat tightened and she suppressed the tears threatening to collect in her eyes. This familial relationship the two of them had built up was safe, comfortable, not to mention, pure. The thought of that having to change upon all else, terrified her. Not to mention the shame she would feel every time she'd think of Izuna.

"Rather, I decided I should. I spoke to your mother, and we concluded marrying me would be in your best interest." Madara explained away calmly, as if he was entirely unbothered by the endless changes awaiting them if they really were to go through with that marriage. She frowned, looking back at him suspiciously.

"My mother doesn't like you. Why would she want you to have me?"

"She simply wants the best for you. As it turns out, I am the best for you." Slowly, he stood up from his seat and approached her. She managed to control her urge to take a step back, but couldn't shake away the tension in her body. When he stopped right before her, unknowingly her hands squeezed the fabric of her dress. "Mego," He began gently, smiling, "I've never mistreated you, have I? Why do you appear so worried?" Observing her for one curious moment, he added, "You do know I don't mean this as anything indecent? All I want is to keep you by my side."

"I-I do!" She lied, as the sudden rush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks. Seriously, how could she think he meant it like that? "I wish to stay here, but…" There was yet another issue. "I don't want you to give up your personal life for me. You already have someone, and I'd feel as—"

"I don't, that's over." Madara dismissed the argument before she even made it. "It's good that you want to stay, and I'm willing to do anything to keep you with me. So," Easily, he took her left hand into his, parting it from the fabric it was still crumpling. "Are you?"

Trying to avoid making a contact with his dark eyes, Mego found her gaze lingering on his collarbone, and the triangular shape of his robe's collar, revealing strong, smooth chest, steadily rising up and down in the rhythm of his breathing. Now, once again, she found herself in need to look away, and so she looked up, almost surprised to meet Madara's intense, yet slightly worried, gaze.

She had stood close to and faced him so many times, yet she never once stopped to consider how beautiful his features really were; how fair his heated skin was; how strong his jaw; how that everlasting frown that left two tiny creases between his eyebrows seemed to suit him so well. Suddenly, she realized she was overwhelmed, becoming hyperaware of his warmth, the sturdiness and firmness of his body, the size and strength of his hand that held her thin fingers.

An image flashed inside her mind, so completely and intensely inappropriate, she felt her breathing change abruptly and her eyes itch when they filled with tears that she barely managed to keep from falling.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, even further displeased when Madara's warm hand abandoned hers, and he stepped back. He exhaled a long breath of air, brushing his untamed hair away with his fingers.

"No. I'm sorry. I have clearly crossed the line." He cleared his throat before continuing, unable to even hide his discomfort, "I'll talk to Amako, but—"

"No! I…" For a brief moment she was left caught in his expecting gaze, but soon pulled herself together, drying her eyes with her sleeve. "If I could choose, you would be my first choice to marry, brother in—Madara…" She forced his name to roll off her tongue, sounding utterly unnatural when she addressed him by it.

"But?"

"Aren't you at all worried what people will say?!"

"Mego," He laughed lightly, "It won't matter what they say once we're legally wed." Appearing slightly conflicted at the lack of enthusiasm from her, he went on, "Doesn't that sound good to you?"

Mego shook her head in disbelief, and took his hand back in hers, squeezing her cold fingers around it. Looking closely at his face again, she cursed herself internally for picking up on all the pretty things about it. What's wrong with you?! She asked herself, angry at the stupefying attraction that kept coming over her in overwhelming waves.

She had no other reasonable cause to say no. She didn't wish to refuse, first and foremost! It's not like she was eager to stay a widow, or marry that other man! The only valid excuse left, she couldn't utter out loud: What if she falls in love with him?

Oh, gods. What if she's already in love with him?!

"I…" Ultimately, she shrugged her shoulders, and tried to smile. "Of course. It sounds great."

"So… That's a yes?"

Somehow, involuntarily, her smile widened as she nodded in acceptance. "Yes—" It perished soon enough, when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. His scent was familiar and warm, his skin hot, and his body hard as a pillar she could safely lean on.

When they parted, she didn't bother to put much distance between them. Instead, she found his gaze, for one shameless second wondering if she would maybe find any trace of her own newfound desire reciprocated in it, but it looked back at her, gentle, uncorrupted, as Madara placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, then stepped away; only adding on to her itching embarrassment. A small gasp escaped her when a third person bursted through the door, causing her to quickly step away from her… well, fiancé, out of habit not wanting to be seen standing too close to him.

"My lady! Forgive me, I slept in, I was—Oh…" Toya froze in her spot, with wide eyes. "I'll wait—"

"No, no." Mego sighed and did her best to compose herself. "You can come in, it's fine."

….

As the two women left, Madara sat back down, feeling as he needed to process everything that had just transpired. A frown came to him, while he wondered about Tajima's reaction when he learns he had proposed to his sister in law.

Honestly, he couldn't tell anymore. It could be positive, considering Tajima always stood for him taking responsibility, or very, very negative, since it was his late brother's widow in question. He would have liked to hear the man's opinion before he asked Mego, but all the mess with Yushiro happened before he even got to bid Tajima good morning.

Speaking of Izuna, Madara was pleased to note he really didn't feel like an awful peace of garbage after asking for Mego's hand. He felt relieved that he somehow found both an appropriate way and time to ask her, and avoided making it weird, given that he made clear the fact he had no actual romantic expectations from her.

Frankly, his thoughts did go there several times, and he wondered if they would eventually turn into a normal married couple, with all the marital duties that included. However, seeing her panic as she did when he first proposed, it became clear that was not an option. He absolutely did not wish to make her feel uncomfortable or burdened.

She was kind, and she thought so well of him, which were two rarest traits he got to encounter as of late; at this point, a person like that at his side was all he wished for. Besides, he was certain Izuna wouldn't want her sent off to some lowlife.

She did seem quite disoriented and anxious, even thought he made his intentions clear, and that did confuse him, but he had to assume that was only normal. You don't see every day that a man marries his sister in law. A smirk came to his face as he thought how people of the clan were going to lose their shit when they learn of it.

Given that he still wasn't going to train for that morning, he got up and made way outside. He might as well go and deliver Amako the good news. At the moment, that was the best excuse he could think of to avoid Tajima when he comes back.

….

"Are you alright?" Tobirama reluctantly asked, watching his wife's back, while she faced a window, stillness of her body only interrupted by an occasional deep sigh. For the short time they had spent married, almost every fact and story Sumi had shared about herself was in one way or another related to her friend she grew up with, Uchiha Mego. Hashirama just recently learned from Madara her childbirth went wrong, and she lost the baby, and blurted it out before Sumi. Sure, Tobirama wasn't about to hide it from her forever, but he did intend to wait for a proper moment to tell her! It was his own fault for not warning Hashirama about it, in the first place.

"Yes, yes." She whispered dismissively, although her tears were audible in her voice, and she used her fingers to wipe her face, sniffing.

"Fine." Since she obviously wasn't about to talk about it with him – and why would she? – he made way for the door. "I'll be outside if you need me." Shut up, why would she need you? His own inner voice scolded him on his way out.

"Where is sister in law?" Hashirama asked, when Tobirama sat down next to him and Yuna, who blissfully enjoyed the sunny day. "Is she better?"

"Not really. She won't stop crying."

"Tsk, you really are clueless about women, aren't you? Why did you leave her alone?" His brother had the audacity to nag, as if this whole situation wasn't his doing. He even saw Yuna silently nodding her head at Hashirama's words.

"Why do people keep telling me that?! What should I do?" Tobirama gestured helplessly. "I figured she would rather not be looked at while she cries."

"Seriously, brother," Yuna opened one eye, as the other side of her face was bathed in sunlight, "A child would know to just stay with her and hug her."

Hug?!

Taking notice of his appalled silence, she let out her bratty laugh. "You lie next to her every night. What's so strange about giving her a hug?"

Yeah, about that… He only let Sumi talk him into sharing their bedroom about a week ago. Servants had put his things there, but he kept actually sleeping in his own old bedroom. She made clear she wasn't any more eager to have sex with a stranger that he still was, but threatened to tell Hashirama he was avoiding her if he continued letting her sleep on her own, as servants were giving her pitying stares by now.

"I just… I doubt it would help. We don't know each other that well yet."

"Still, you're her husband. And there is your chance to know her better. Hug her and ask her to tell you about it. There. I solved it for you." She said, not bothering to hide how proud of herself she was. Hashirama shrugged his shoulders meaningfully in agreement.

"I will just… I'll try to talk to her again." He rolled his eyes at their insistence, and strolled back to the bedroom. On the way there, he pondered about how he should approach her. What in the world should he say?!

Arriving to the door, he decided knocking would be a good start. He didn't wish to startle her, or invade her privacy. As an answer he got a sniff, then a muffled yes.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

Silence.

"It's your room?" A trace of annoyance adorned her voice, and he frowned, thinking how it's already going badly. What were those two thinking when they sent him back here?!

She was still seated in the same position, her body turned to the window. Slowly, Tobirama went over, and sat down next to her, although he faced the bedroom.

"If you wish to tell me about it, I'll listen."

Sumi looked at him for a moment, allowing him to see her puffy eyes, slightly pouted lips and reddened nose – which he absolutely didn't find cute – and she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

"What's there to tell? She had to endure all that pain just to end up with a dead baby? A-And, we all waited for it for so long, that was the one thing that would grant her a little bit freedom since she was widowed, and—" She covered her mouth for a moment, as a sob escaped her chest. "And I can't even be there with her!" Her voice went high at the end, so she settled for silence after that.

"You'll be able to go see her in a month or two." He tried, keeping his tone gentle.

"But…" She gestured, "That's a long time! I haven't even had a chance to tell her how sorry I am. It looks like I don't care, and I simply didn't even know!" She covered her face, leaving Tobirama to wince to himself, realizing that not only had he made her cry harder, but he was also to blame for her not knowing about her friend sooner. He sighed.

"Forgive me for keeping it from you. I didn't… want to just drop it on you out of nowhere, and now…" He let his words die down, quietly cursing himself for being of no help. A very brief, very casual pat on his arm caused him to focus on the petite hand that had done it.

"It's alright. I understand." She whispered, letting her teary gaze roam the view the open window gave, the few loose strands of her hair swaying in the soft breeze.

A child would know to give her a hug. Right.

Inhaling deeply, he decided changing his position entirely would get her attention and make it even more awkward than it was sure to be. So, from his current spot, he let his arm travel under her own, until his palm softly landed on her belly. He had to make an effort to keep his fingers relaxed and still on the fabric of her dress, feeling as her body skipped a breath at the contact.

Sumi snapped her head in his direction, wide eyed and confused. Tobirama made his thumb slowly brush up and down the area under it. He swallowed his saliva before speaking up, worried he might stutter or something similarly embarrassing.

"You could come to my study and write her a letter?" He suggested, for some reason, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. Nodding his head in encouragement, he proudly took in the small curve of her wet lips when she smiled.

"That would be good." Sumi sighed and her smile widened. "Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me." Relieved because he had made it without making a complete fool of himself, Tobirama went to withdraw his hand, suddenly frowning when Sumi's own landed over it. He sought her gaze, curious as to why she did that.

Easily, as if it wasn't a big deal, she turned her body a bit more his way, came close enough for him to feel her body heat… and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. Excitement rushed through him, immediately followed by concern. If he had to explain whether it was that she was an Uchiha, or that she was simply a beautiful woman that caused such a reaction, he couldn't tell you.

He remained still for almost an entire minute, having expected her to let go any moment now. When she hadn't, he allowed himself a sigh, and wrapped one of his arms around her thin body.

His mind searched for something he could say, but there wasn't really anything. All he could do was to keep the beautiful Uchiha close against him, and hug her until she's had her fill.