crownverse; major spoiler for mahkota daun/a crown of shadows
set pre-epilogue
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"had you didn't blurt out before the uzumaki delegation back then, i might ended up a spinster because i'd reject their proposal too."
tobirama raised his gaze from a short scroll he brought. they sat by the lake, izuna lazily watching a little girl training by herself on the fishing dock nearby. an uchiha, a daughter of her relative.
"you never thought about starting your own family?" he asked, closing the scroll.
"sometimes back then." izuna shifted on the grass. "but... only as a service to our clan. making more shinobi."
he understood. he had the same idea. at least until his sister started her wild idea of living alongside their rivals.
shinobi married because of duty, not personal whims.
"and probably with one of our stinky cousins," izuna continued, huffing. "thankfully they're afraid of my brother... otherwise i might have mothered two or three children by now."
"speaking of that," tobirama cleared his throat. "do you want children?"
"for the clan and village? of course."
"i'm asking you, personally."
"don't you?"
"...they're alright." His voice trailed off as the lake water turned yellow; the little girl on the dock just spewed a yellow fireball. "I'm just thinking we might be too busy to have one immediately, especially with my sister's babies due soon."
"i agree. we can... postpone." izuna messed her hair a bit, and tobirama had to held an urge to mess it more. "you okay with it?"
"as long as you're on board."
"good." she stretched and stood. "you better return to your office, i'm sure the paperwork is piling high, senju."
"drop that habit. you're going to be a senju soon."
izuna faked a pout. "i'm keeping my name."
"i know you do." tobirama smiled as she trekked back to the lake, answering the girl who asked for her help with her jutsu.
maybe, maybe in several years it'd be their daughter who's trying to spit fireballs in the lake.