*Some days later – at the main house*

Nayuki is currently nursing Itama and humming a happy tune. Nayuki couldn't be happier. Hanabi is by her side helping her with Kawarama. "Did you know that Shikaku is praising Hashirama all the time? He says that he never met a shinobi who did so well at his missions in his age…." Nayuki smiles but replaces it soon with a frown, "That's good and bad" Hanabi looks confused, "How is that bad?" "It's good because the clan heir should be strong and because his surviving chances are higher this way. On the other hand other clans will begin to see him as a threat. Therefore, they will try to hunt him down even more…" Hanabi smiles at her friend. 'Nayuki-chan is one of the best mothers and tactical minds I've ever met. Always worrying about the boys and estimating the consequences of their actions…. How come she's doing it so naturally?'"Oh, I'm sure Hashirama-kun can beat them all. Anyway, how is it to have a child?" Now it's Nayukis time to look confused, "Why are you curious? Oh! Are you by any chance pregnant?" Hanabi is getting red immediately but a small smile is on her lips as she answers, "Yes, I am. I haven't told my husband yet but Shikaku already knows it …" "Who was your husband again?" "You remember the one with the scar down the cheek? With the blonde hair?" "The one that, looked like he's going to p*** himself, after I demonstrated the Rasengan?" "Don't say that! But yes that one…." "His name was …. Tora, right?" "Hai" "I'm sure he's going to be wonderful parents. I can see things like that. Anyway, what do you want to know about pregnancies?" "How did you know that I was worried? Wait, don't answer. For starters, does everyone get morning sickness and mood swings?" Nayuki has to laugh, "No, some have it really strong others don't even feel a change. You can get carvings too…"

When Tobirama comes back from training they are still engaged in their conversation. The moment Tobirama sees Nayuki sitting in the living room playing with Kawarama and talking to Hanabi while Itama sleeps, he decides to ask her for help. He doesn't know if she can but she's a skilled kunoichi. She proved as much. He walks up to her and Kawarama. "Nayuki-kaa-sama? Do you know about fuuinjutsu?" She looks at him surprised, 'He accepted me as his mother! I'm the mother of the Nidaime too now!' ,and answers, "I do. I'm a seal master" His mood immediately brightens. "Can you teach me? My sensei said that you can make paper bombs and other things with fuuinjutsu. That sounds so cool" "So in short you want to learn about fuuinjutsu because you can create "cool" explosions, right? Well, Im not so sure I should teach a four year old such a dangerous skill. However, I could teach you calligraphy as a preparation for learning Calligraphy later on. Calligraphy is the first step in fuuinjutsu" He nods smiling eagerly and fetches paper and ink to show her his skills. Nayuki looks worridly at Hanabi and asks, "Do you think it's good to teach Tobirama? Should I tell him a bit of the theory too? I would only dare to tell him the easiest steps of Level 1 fuuinjutsu..." Hanabi smiles a bit and reasures her, "I think it's good to start this early with something so time consuming. He'll need it on the field." "Alright. Then I'm going to teach him the steps of Level 1 fuuinjutsu mastery." When Tobirama reappears Hanabi excuses herself and leaves mother and sons alone. Enthusiastic Tobirama shows Nayuki his calligraphy skills. She compliments him with tender eyes and advices him to practice a bit more. After some time he needs to take a break so Nayuki begins to explain the theory of fuuinjutsu to him. He listens to her every word. 'Nayuki-kaa-san is pretty good at explaining. I don't think I should be able to understand what seals are about this easily'

"Say, Tobi. What do you think about having dinner in the garden today?" Tobirama grins at her and nod eagerly. Somehow he allows himself to be a child around her. It's as if he trusts her to not tell his father about it. As if she's his safe haven in this cruel world where children are robbed of their childhood and made into weapons. In her opinion is Tobirama too advanced and serious for a four year old boy. 'It's nice to see him so childish once in a while...' "Well then, we should prepare some bentos." Together they clean up. Nayuki takes Both Itama and Kawarama into her arms and carries them into the kitchen with Tobirama tailing her every move. She arranges the boys on their play mat on the floor. Tobirama is already running up to the sink draging a bag of rice behind him. Nayuki helps him putting the rice into a colander for washing. Nayuki puts a stool in front of the sink, so that Tobirama can easily wash the rice on his own, and moves to prepare the pot to cook it. Quietly Tobirama grumbles about being big enough to reach the sink without something like a stool but uses it anyway. While the rice cooks they prepare everything to make both Maki- and Nigirisushi….

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Nayuki, Tobirama and the two babies are already in the garden enjoying the last sun when Hashirama and a little later Butsuma come home. Butsuma smiles at the little picnic his lover and son prepared. He really appreciates that Tobirama is picking up cooking so easily. It will come in handy for the boy later. He sits down next to them and together they enjoy their meal. "It's delicious.", Butsuma tells them with a smile on his face. He's proud of their cooking skills. 'Hm, maybe I should…', Butsuma thinks before taking a piece of sushi and feeds it to his lover and giving her a long kiss. Nayuki grins at him and opens her mouth as a move to show that he should feed her again. 'It's been some time since we spent some quality time together, 'Suma and I. Oh, how I missed this side of him', Nayuki thinks in bliss. Hashirama makes a face shouting a loud "EWW!" while Tobirama is confused why his strict father is behaving so funny. 'I don't like it…. That's not how otou-sama usually behaves. He's always so stict and easly to anger...' "Otou-sama, Nayuki-kaa-sama why are you behaving so funny? ", he finally asks. Nayuki smiles at him and answers, "You know when two persons love each other they can act rather odd sometimes. It only shows that they trust each other very much. You can't always be serious – it would destroy you and you should always show the persons you love that you do so." Butsuma can only agree, he would have become a bitter man if he hadn't met 'Yuki. 'Thank gods, I've found her…' However he won't let his guard down that much often and he definitely won't spoil his sons. Not with knowing what future awaits them….

Finally Kawarama and Itama are both asleep. The parents kiss their sleeping sons good night and sent the older boys to bed too. Nayuki silently makes her way to their futon. Shortly afterwards Butsuma returns to their room too. He looks at her and sighs. "Tomorrow I have to return to the front line. It is said that Tajima is there" "Then you have to be careful. I don't want to lose you so soon" "I won't die. I just wanted to tell you… We are too laid back at the moment. I want that you take Hanabi with you and begin to train again. It is unavoidable that I'll have to send you out for missions but at least not in the next months." "I see. Then I'll have to train if I want to survive" "Don't worry you'll be back to strength in no time and while you're on a mission Hanabi will take care of the boys", he assures her and cuddles her to him.