"Is it my fault?" Mito whispered, looking his way intently, while Tobirama went over some administrative documents he took upon himself to unburden his brother. She was, of course, referring to the fact he was moving away. As a matter of fact, a lot of his and Sumi's things have already been moved to the new house. In a day or two, they would leave as well.

Setting the paper he was holding back onto the desk, he faced her. More or less, if he would be honest – which he wouldn't. He didn't wish to be cruel, even though she and Hashirama have been testing his patience for a while now.

"No, don't worry about that. I plan to devote myself more to my spouse, and I recommend you do the same." Although he was minding his words, he seemed to have failed to do the same with his tone. A dose of irritation had managed to seep through, and truth be told, he wasn't sure it was by accident. He wouldn't tolerate Hashirama forcing Sumi to reach out and bond with Mito when that's what he should be doing, and he'd tolerate even less that she made Sumi feel less than.

"Certainly." The Uzumaki nodded, sounding so utterly unconvincing he felt another wave of annoyance come over him. A brash chuckle left his chest, and he faced her, making sure she could see the apathy in his eyes. He didn't know why she insisted on pushing him so far; he wasn't known for his mild temper.

"I think you're failing to see how lucky you are, Mito. If Hashirama wasn't so kind…" A lesser man would have either chased her clan out of the village and back into their camp, or put a child in her forcibly by now. "You'd be much worse off."

"I know that."

"Do you, really? Well, since you know that, make up your mind." She frowned, waiting for him to continue. "Either do your duty, or make room for a woman who'd give him what he deserves. He wouldn't force you to stay married to him if you ask to leave."

"Like it's that simple! My clan—"

"So you do remember it's not all about you." Her gentle face hardened with anger, and she would speak had Tobirama not beat her to it. "You have until it's time for me to leave. If I don't see you trying with Hashirama, I will personally go to your father and tell him everything."

"You don't have the right—"

"I have all the right! Brother in law, remember?" He ironically gestured to himself, and if Mito had anything to add, she appeared too upset to continue the discussion. Just a few moments later he watched her back as she rushed out of the room.

"Fuck…" He whispered under his breath, falling back into his chair. He took the documents again with an attitude, chasing distracting thoughts away so he could return to his work. Having succeeded, the administration had preoccupied his attention and he seemed to have lost a sense of time, nearly jumping in his seat once the door opened again. Good, he thought, taking notice of his waning candle flame, and reached into a drawer to get a new one.

"Sumi." He greeted, watching her slim figure at the door, nicely defined by the brand new light. She was ready for sleep, and he was, as nearly always, embarrassed to call himself her husband. They hadn't gone to bed at the same time for weeks probably. He had celebrated an anniversary without properly laying with his wife. The chastest of monks could begrudge him at this point.

"Are you going to sleep yet?" Her voice came out gentle and inviting, and he grew drowsy just from hearing it. His hand came to rub the bridge of his nose and an unintended sigh escaped him. Her feet tapped the wooden floor as she approached, and he nodded a response to her question.

"Yeah, I should." Quickly he went to gather the papers that had scattered all over the desk and form a couple of organized, neat heaps, but paused to smile when he felt her petite hands on his shoulders. Fair fingers squeezed his muscles in an attempt to help him relax, and he placed one of his hands over hers, looking back to face her.

"My back is fine, thank you. I am just… a bit overwhelmed." Truth is, he couldn't wait to get out of this house, away from Mito, and Hashirama, and his father who still applied quiet pressure on him, chiding him here and there about Sumi still not being with child. A man can't even neglect his wife in peace anymore, he almost made himself laugh by his own thoughts.

"I could help with that too." Her finger grazed its way up the side of his neck and around his earlobe, forcing his body to involuntarily shudder.

"Sumi…" A moan – sigh, if you ask him – vibrated in his throat, and his hand caught her slender wrist. "We're not in our room…"

"So?" Smile was audible in her tone, and she leaned down close to him allowing her warm breath to fan over his skin. Sometimes he wondered if he got so easily excited because of his inexperience or it was something he would have to live with forever. His comfortable pants were swiftly growing tight, and his face burned as a result. "Everyone's asleep."

"We can't be sure. If someone overheard us and our clothes—"

"Then we won't take our clothes off. And they won't hear me." She made her way between him and the desk, and bent down to claim his lips before getting down to her knees, completely engulfed by the darkness underneath. "You just make sure they don't hear you."

…..

"You really bought this?" Mego's laughter warmed the wooden walls of their home. "You went to a seller and asked for it?"

"Well," Madara gestured from his spot by the fire, a bowl of steaming soup in his hand, "I used transformation jutsu, naturally. God forbid someone saw me buying that garbage."

Making herself comfortable on the mattress, Mego unwrapped the scroll which contained the said garbage and looked over the title and the drawings; not before she playfully mocked Madara, repeating his words to him. It was entirely new to her, and had progressed as far as chapter eleven, but she couldn't say she minded. After such a long time without her favorite literature, it was a true refreshment!

"I also met with the leader of that settlement." He added after having a bite. "He's heard of me and would like to hire me – and, in turn, I would be allowed to own land there."

"So, we can move?" Sitting up, Mego had nearly forgotten about her excitement for the story, focusing on the much pressing matter. As much as she used to insist how their current home was everything they might need, the pregnancy had changed many things, and she had to begrudgingly admit that Madara had been right all along. "We'll have neighbors and—"

"Safety, community, and most importantly, access to midwives." He offered a soft smile. "With my earnings and your dowry we could hire masons right away. It's going to take a while, though the house should be ready in time for the baby."

He turned to face the fireplace, going back to his food, and not turning around even after hearing her get off the bed and her feet tapping across the floor until she reached him. Her hands wrapped around his shoulders, as her cheek rested gently on the top of his head.

"Is this really what you want?" She asked, unable to keep quiet about the matter that still hasn't stopped bothering her. Despite Madara already having reassured her, she seemed to need more. She didn't know what plans he had had for his future, aside from creating the Leaf, and couldn't help but feel like she had imposed her own ideals on him. She was beginning to realize that, despite having known him for a long time, she had no idea what his goals actually were, and that was just a little scary.

"Why?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Mego paused to collect the right words. She also knew too many questions would make him think she regretted coming along, and that was in no way the truth.

"Your work was always a priority to you. Won't family life hold you back?"

"Not exactly – family was always my priority. All that's changed now is that my only family is you." Chuckling, he added, "Well, for now, at least." Turning around in his seat, Madara looked up to face her as his free hand rested on her waist. "What's gotten you so worried? Hasn't everything been well so far?"

"It has… All is perfect… Things were perfect before. I fear it'll all be taken away again."

"I understand." Madara firmly nodded, then went back to facing the fire and his soup. Mego lingered behind him, expecting he'll say more, but time went by, fire popped in the fireplace, being the only sound to fill their cottage, and she was left to restlessly fidget behind him.

"That's all?" She nearly whined, catching Madara's gaze when he faced her over his shoulder.

"Fear makes you careful. So, be afraid."

An irritated 'tch' left her lips and was welcomed by Madara's chuckling. Stretching his arm he let his bowl rest by the fire so the food wouldn't get cold, since he evidently wouldn't get any peace to eat it at the moment, and turned around in his seat to look at Mego once more. His hand returned to her, fingers gently resting on her hip; touch that was swift to turn tense at her coming words,

"I don't want philosophy, I want solace."

"I am on my way to get you that. But I can't grow a house overnight. There's paperwork, the elders of the settlement have still to finally agree to let us join them, it's not so simple." His voice remained quiet, though his eyes turned somewhat fiercer, and Mego shook her head, afraid she made it seem like she questioned his quality as a man. Her fingers hurried to caress his face as she stepped closer.

"I don't mean that, I mean words, and touch… I feel like you've stopped paying me attention." She whispered, even though her mind whispered right back what nonsense that was. Her husband provided enough consolation, and company, and fulfilment. She just couldn't help the way she felt, and had no better way to express it. That was pregnancy for you.

"And I feel like you've stopped paying me respect." Her hand was left to fall to her side when he stood up. His tone changed, his dark eyes showed disapproval as they looked down at her, and her chest was quick to tighten and force a growing lump up her throat as she looked back. "You used to be caring and docile. The only thing that's changed from before is that we're fucking, and I can't see how that gives you the right to be dismissive." Returning to the fire, he took the bowl and poured its contents back into their pot on the table. She went to speak, but his hand quickly motioned for her to be quiet. "And don't think of excusing yourself with your condition. This began long before you got pregnant."

Rendered mute, with self-reflective thoughts intruding her mind, Mego had noticed Madara was leaving only once he'd opened the door and the wind's howling became louder, with rare snow drifting inside with it.

"Where are you going now? You just came home."

"Out."

The door was shut behind him, firmly and finally, and that lump had at last become unbearable forcing her to burst into tears. Getting to the table, Mego plopped down in the nearest chair and brought her knees up to bury her face in them.

He had to know she respected him more than anyone; he had to, yet… How was she showing it? By nagging and talking back? She knew he worked very hard for her, he left the house before dawn and rarely returned before evening, and still found time to surprise her with the novel he had bought. His clothes were dirty, weapons bloodied, he had to be starving.

Glancing at the pot beside her made her cry even harder. She was a terrible wife.

…..

It felt like drunkenness, put in simple words. All the familiar thresholds were weakened, he turned careless, shameless, greedy! Just ten minutes ago he claimed they should be careful not to be heard by someone, calculating if they'd be able to make themselves presentable in time if someone indeed decided to seek them out.

At the moment, however, such a thing seemed terribly irrelevant. So if somebody saw him? This was his lawful wife he was holding against the wall, the dress he was tearing was the one he had bought her, the petite hands buried in his hair belonged to him too, and he to them.

The door to Butsuma's room was barely a meter away, and the thought made him want to laugh. And if the old man came to see what the commotion was, he could loudly proclaim: Look, father, aren't you proud?! Though, he had to note, that would have probably made Sumi very uncomfortable. They had to take this to their bedroom.

And so his arms engulfed her, supporting her hips and waist as Tobirama lifted her and threw her over his shoulder, greeted by a delighted squeal. Once they were behind closed doors, he carried her over to their bed, wasting no time in retaking her lips; those lips that had done things to him, dirty things he never imagined were actually so beautiful. He wanted to do them too, and refused to waste another moment.

The rags her dress had become were quickly removed piece by piece through their joined efforts, and the Uchiha was left completely bare before him. He had always found her to be lovely, but the sight was something else entirely.

Having observed his intentions, Sumi allowed her arms to reach out, hands to hold his face and make him meet her gaze. "Slowly." She whispered the reminder he definitely needed. And although his entire being burned to go for the main course, to take her like an animal, he forced himself to settle down and went back to her lips. His own proceeded to spread kisses along her cheek, neck, bosom and lower.

As they were getting lost in the softness of her stomach, he allowed one hand to reach and hold her breast, shuddering at the contact that made his skin cower with love. Looking up, he took the view of two upstanding glands that seemed to invite him to kiss them next. Surrendering to his want immediately, his hand left her chest, instead joining the other one in supporting his weight, while his mouth united with the Uchiha's nipple, drawing out a quiet mewl from her.

Uchiha. He was doing all this with an Uchiha. Contrary to his past fretting, that seemed to be just another thing to drive him blind with lust. Yielding to her own passion, she lied serenely underneath him, arms resting above her head, her chest vibrating with lustful sighs she produced. His hand found her left wrist, and it wasn't long before it got a hold of the right, fingers effortlessly grasping them together, pressing them into the mattress to keep her where she was. As if she'd rather be anywhere else.

"Touch me..." Came a whisper, and Tobirama didn't need to be told twice. Free hand reached down, fingers instinctively scooping up her wetness to spread all over. His lips returned to hers for a brief time and he settled for facing her to observe her response, frankly fascinated by the behaviors arousal caused in women.

He kept his touch gentle, delicately stroking down the middle, and it seemed to be the very correct thing to do, for Sumi's breaths turned deeper, her hips involuntarily thrust upwards, lips parted in a soundless declaration of contentment.

It was time, he concluded, face burning with excitement and urge. His hand released her wrists, leaving her to watch him, puzzled as he stood by the edge of the bed. His grip came for her hips, and through the sound of her surprised laughter, pulled her to him, soon going for her thighs to keep them apart.

His knees touched the floor, and he was allowed to gaze at the very gates of life, finding it to be equal part bizarre and marvelous. Its tenderness welcomed his lips, his tongue next, softly stimulating her folds, which he judged to be the right way to do it.

Sumi's hips were swiftly growing wild, matching each and every movement of his tongue, and soon her slender fingers were in his hair, nails scratching his scalp, forcing him to take more and stay unmoving.

As if he'd rather be anywhere else.