Madara made it too late.
He catches sight of the Senju-white hair mean's Hashirama's brother, and he wishes he'd gotten better at ignoring that over the years.
Tobirama runs off before Madara engages him, the half a second of hesitation on his part enough time for the younger warrior to take to the trees. It's not like Madara would chase him when he'd come specifically to Akanes rescue. A rescue that was only necessary because his fiancé had self-assigned a rescue mission of her own when she found out her brother's squad was late to report in. Their clan's constant state of war meant that once a squad was late-they weren't likely to come back.
Madara had come across the remaining three of a ten man squad, Akio unconscious on one of their backs, and they told him Akane had stayed behind as a distraction so they could get away.
His fiancé was a worthy warrior-it's especially evident in the battle ground he finds her in. Entire swathes of forest and ground pitch back and covered in ash. There are no Senju bodies, which meant nothing about how many there could have been when Akanes signature technique was so incredibly destructive. There are the corpses of rest of the original Uchiha squad-lying untouched by Akanes blue flames.
Madara hadn't minded his engagement when all he knew about his future wife was that she'd fought to save his brothers. He'd felt terribly guilty for her and her new role as a Warrior that his father had granted rather hypocritically, I'm Madaras opinion, after claiming he'd given her the most 'advantageous' engagement in the clan.
As if a civilian little girl from a family that had long lost the gift of the sharingan would ever survive the battlefield, no matter how brave she was.
It was almost amusing, looking back and realizing how little he knew of his fiancé at the time.
It took her six months to earn the moniker 'The Blue Death' among the Senju. Her infamous blue fire that she called Cremation flames were a death sentence. One that easily won the fear and respect of anyone that had ever seen them at work. It was also a one sign Jutsu, more elemental control and finesse than a guided technique. One that meant Akane was twice as terrifying with regular fire nin-jutsu. She was quite the coveted squad member these days. She'd only lost one squad member in the past three years, something her captain credited her for completely.
He'd been so proud of her. Impressed by her ability to come up with such a deadly technique and how much training she put herself through to keep making it out of the battlefield.
But what had actually made him look forward to marrying Akane was how kind and loving he'd watched her be with Akira. He'd been coming back from a mission and hidden himself instinctively when he realized there was a presence in his youngest brother's room-leery of Senju assassins and too well trained to give himself away to a potential enemy. He'd been ready to fight through his exhaustion and defend his family.
Instead he'd spied on his fiancé talking to his little brother about how he felt that his legs didn't work anymore. She had been so patient, teasing out his brothers woes and frustrations. She had let him cry, rubbing a soothing had on his back, no talks of being strong or a warrior shedding tears. Then he watched her comfort him and rub their noses together in a way that was so completely foreign, but was full of pure affection.
Madara wanted his children to be raised like that. To treat their mother as a trusted confidant the way Akira treated Akane. To be shown open affection the way his own parents never had. The thought of talking to his own mother about anything but missions turned Madaras stomach, he had no idea what she spoke of with Akira-if she even spoke to her youngest.
He knew his parents were a political match. An unhappy one at that, but they did their duty-and both he and Izuna were all but guaranteed to achieve Mangekyo as they grew older. Since both of their parents had it. Sadly his mother had overused her own, and she was completely blind-a secret that was easily kept by a Kunochi of her skill but also something impossible to discover when she never left her courtyard-his father had stopped visiting her years ago. Yoshimitsu's birth had been hard on her and rendered her infertile, so Madara knew he wouldn't be having any more younger brothers.
He would hate to have a marriage like his parents. A cold agreement that culminated in children and only persevered because the Tsukuyomi branch had enough connections in the clan that his father felt it wouldn't be worth the headache to divorce his wife. He wanted warmth, affection and understanding.
The thought had cemented when he had that terrible fight with Izuna about Hashirama and their shared dream of peace. Akane had taken upon herself to intervene.
She'd also played translator, somehow managing to relay that Izuna's stalking was out of anxiety, his little brother needed to know where he was at all times, especially when he was home, because Izuna had taken being too late to save Yasumatsu even harder than Madara had feared. He didn't know when she had talked to Izuna about it-but his little brothers silent tears at her words spoke for themselves.
He also had no idea how she'd managed to relay to Izuna that Hashirama had been there for him when Madara was in desperate need of a friend, and that kindness mattered more to Madara than what clan Hashirama came from when he'd never said those words out loud. But their stupid fight met a swift end and Madara was left feeling incredibly grateful that such an amazing girl would one day be his wife.
His father had not intended such a gift, but Madara was passionately grateful every day. Especially once Akane began to use her status as his betrothed to improve the clan.
Madara had no idea how many widows just starved to death in the clan when they couldn't find a child or a husband to depend on. Let alone the elders that simply didn't want to burden the younger generation and chose to go quietly. Madara was clan heir-and he'd had no idea how badly the Clan was failing its people until Akane began fixing it.
And fix it she did, beautifully.
Akane brought more chickens, developed new ways to grow food that conserved space. Somehow convinced her brother to marry a glassblower and used the woman to first create strange glass contraptions that let them grow food during winter and then a workshop that employed some needful widows and made money to feed the rest she had housed.
Then she did the same for the orphans in the clan. Those that were ignored by his fathers Lineage orphan home policy.
When she had come to him with several baffling questions about court and nobles in fire country, Madara had been confused, then promptly forgot about it until he heard that the not terribly creatively named 'Nakamura pottery' became incredibly popular because it was favored by the Daimyos cousin.
Someone he knew Akane knew about because she'd asked for a lot of details about him. Such as his name, regular residence, and if Madara suspected he had anything to hide.
The posh coward who's acquaintance Madara had been forced to make no doubt had plenty of skeletons in his closet. Akane had smiled brightly at his words. Her face alight with simple joy, and Madara discovered that on top of being skilled, brilliant, and kind, Akane was becoming quite pretty too.
She could even be devious, as evidenced by her scheme to profit obscenely from the simple pottery her workshop produced using free clay from the Naka river.
Her ventures made enough money to buy quite a lot of food. He'd overheard the clan warehouse head muttering darkly about it-but Akane payed half of her profits to the Clan, as did any artisan in a time of war. No one could say she was doing anything wrong, especially when her actions were so clearly to the benefit the clan.
When she lured some blacksmiths into a workshop, Madara had kept tabs on the developments eagerly. Akane was always doing her best for the clan-he could only watch in wonder-doing his own best to study and learn how to become the best leader he could be.
He could see the shape of their future. Madara taking charge in the Battlefield and Akane administrating the day to day logistics of the clan. Making sure all of their people were warm and fed-even during war.
Madara wouldn't have truly believed it possible if he hadn't watched Akane make it happen. No one starved in the Uchiha Clan any more.
No one.
There were even simple chores on a bulletin board that paid in pickles and rice. Sometimes eggs. Food was readily available to anyone who needed it and could work-and even those that couldn't were absorbed into what Akane called the Widow dorms.
There were more than widows living in them, of course-orphans and warriors too injured to support the clan efforts. They'd even built a recovery wing for the injured Warriors that had no one to care for them to free up the beds in the healing halls. But the name was one of the ways Akane carefully stepped around his fathers policies.
Akane was the kindest person Madara had ever known.
Even Hashiramas effervescence paled in comparison to her willingness to help those in need. She even found work for some whose limbs were mostly intact and tried to give them back as much independence as possible.
Her carpentry workshop produced canes and crutches before it ever made anything else.
Having so many workshops relatively close together eventually created a shopping district within the clan. Everything the workshops produced were readily available and discounted to the clan. Widows and orphans had the price marked down even lower-to make it easier to meet their needs.
The preference for widows and orphans was even more notable among the youngest warriors-Many of which found themselves the sole supporters of entire households becoming better armed. It was easier for them to buy weapons and armor, and so they did. Although perhaps not as quickly as Akane would have liked-because her latest venture was a workshop armory.
Akane wanted to use funds from various workshops and set up a borrowing system for several sets of weapons and armors commissioned from the clan black smiths. The only thing was that the clan already had an armory and the elders did not want to grant her permission to make another one.
Madara had listened in on several elders discussing the proposal-which would clearly benefit the clan as only senior warriors were allowed in the current clan armory and Akane had placed no such restrictions on the one she wanted to make.
In retrospect Madara suspected the armory might already exist and that Akane was only getting permission after the fact-the way she had with the widow dorms and her workshops. It would explain the sudden leap in armored orphans in the clan better than the more affordable weapons and armor.
But the elders were talking about Akane overstepping her place. Scoffing about how a little girl dared to stockpile weapons on her own at a time of war. They called it arrogant and inappropriate, as though Akane hadn't spearheaded several changes the clan was in desperate need of.
Madara had found himself deeply upset by the councils arrogance. Izuna had agreed with him. Deciding to finally pull some of his own weight in regards to changing the Clan for the better as clan heir, Madara visited each member and claimed it had been discussed with his father-who agreed.
His father-away at the war front for at least another two months at the time, could not be contacted to verify Madaras story. Als, it was the first time Madara himself had stepped forward, and unlike Akane-who had to fight and claw for every ounce of influence she now carried in the clan, Madara had real power granted by his position within the clan.
He was the next head, after all-the clan council did not want to naysay or displease him. And they especially didn't want to go against his father on the off chance Madara was telling the truth because Tajima Uchiha did not rule by making friends, he simply got rid of his enemies. Going against his fathers wishes was the easiest way to find oneself in the same camp as his enemies.
The motion passed.
Akane tracked him down with a bento and a bright smile.
His fiancé offered him the food earnestly, "I don't know if you've ever tried Aiko's food-but trust me when I say it's some of the best you can get in clan. I don't know how else to thank you!"
"You don't have to thank me!," Madara insisted, "You're doing what's best for the clan. The council should be helping you-not hindering you because of their outdated ideas and arrogance."
Akanes smile had widened impossibly, "You say the nicest things Madara,"
He could feel the tips of his ears begin to warm, "I-I'm only being honest. If you ever have trouble passing anything else through the council, you should just let me know. I want to help where I can."
It was his duty as clan heir anyway-Madara couldn't quite bring himself to meet Akanes eyes, but he meant every word. They would be husband and wife someday. He liked the idea of them working together even before their wedding-already in tune with one another before they wed.
Akane's eyes sparkled, "I might just take you up on that-but you have to take the bento."
Madara hadn't been able to hold off a blush. He also took the bento.
Akane was right. It was delicious.
And then he saw how his fiancé planned to rent out armor and weapons to the orphans that needed it. Any warrior who had a skill to barter could borrow weapons in exchange for teaching younger Shinobi on select training fields.
It was unprecedented-even in clan, most tried to keep anything outside of the official Uchiha Taijutsu style and Sharingan training to their family lines.
Whether they specialized in weaponry, ninjutsu, or genjutsu. Each family usually had something that had been passed down and treasured as a secret technique, even select wire tricks counted.
But now those warriors that could were willingly passing it on to the rest of the clan.
It was completely voluntary, and he'd even seen some younger shinobi with more pedigree, especially those in the Lineage orphan homes, take up the offer. Akanes weapons were miles above anything offered in the mission room, and even maintenance was free.
She'd also come up with official weapon loans, where warriors who had hit the fifty clan mission mark could take out a loan to commission what they needed and then pay it back slowly over time through their missions.
He'd never seen new clan warriors better trained or armored-they felt the difference almost immediately, the mortality rate for missions and battles was steadily ticking down.
Akane had to be the best fiancé in the world. And she was proving skilled enough that Madara thought they might make it to marriage for sure.
Finding her face down was alarming.
She was soaked to the bone from some Senjus technique, injured-but thankfully alive. He wrapped up her ribs, not even thinking about how inappropriate it was to take off her kimono because modesty did not exist in the battlefield. He then did everything he could not to jostle her leg too badly as he brought her to the checkpoint for more experienced healers to treat.
Then he assigned himself to escort her and her brother back to the clan because Madara wanted to marry Akane someday and he would do anything in his power to make it possible.
X
So that's Madaras take on things so far, and yes-I wanted to confirm he has a raging crush on Akane. Next we get Akanes first major injuries, more clan improvement and well-I don't wanna spoil it but y'all may not like me all that much for some of the next chapter. The shit gets rough-imma leave it at that. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter though-please tell me what you think!!